Compare towns
Athens vs Middlebury 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
9,175Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Athens 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% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Middlebury 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% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
| Middlebury 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,110±$93Lowest 10% 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 |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Waterville 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% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.