Compare towns
Athens vs Middlebury 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 oldest population (median age 47.3).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($417k median).
Vershire has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
7,220Highest |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
| Athens and Vershire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Vershire and Athens 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% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest 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% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Middlebury 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
$1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
| Middlebury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
$4,640Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.