Compare towns
Athens vs Jay vs Vershire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Vershire has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Athens | Jay | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
471 |
842Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
45.7±9.3Lowest 6% above VT |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Vershire and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Vershire and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Vershire and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Jay and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kHighest 24% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Athens and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
— | $1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
32 minLowest 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.