Compare towns
Athens vs Jay vs Waterville
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%).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% 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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
471 |
680Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
| Jay and Waterville 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% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Jay 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% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Waterville 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 |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
| Jay and Waterville 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±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$236,300±$15k 25% below VT |
| Athens and Waterville 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 |
— | $1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
| Athens and Waterville 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 |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Waterville and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minLowest 53% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
38 min 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | None 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.