Compare towns
Athens vs Marshfield vs Sheffield
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 expensive homes ($240k median).
Marshfield has the highest household income ($84k).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Marshfield | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
470 |
573Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -3% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
| Athens and Marshfield 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% |
19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Sheffield 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% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3% VT: 43.8% |
35.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield 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±$30k 16% below VT |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Marshfield and Athens 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 |
$178,300±$31k 44% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Athens and Marshfield 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 |
$1,125±$79Highest 9% below VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,269 35% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Marshfield 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% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1987Highest 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
29 minLowest 24% above VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.