Compare towns
Athens vs Middlesex vs Westminster 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).
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Westminster has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Middlesex | Westminster | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,943 |
2,999Highest |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
| Westminster 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Vershire 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% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Vershire 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% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,117±$80 9% below VT |
| Middlesex 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Westminster 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
32 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Westminster 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 | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.