Compare towns
Athens vs Newbury vs Westminster
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 affordable homes ($240k median).
Newbury has the most renters (32.2% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Newbury | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431 |
393Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
48.3±14 12% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Newbury 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% |
18.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Newbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±9.8 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Newbury 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% |
38.2% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
6.9%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Newbury 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 |
$76,250±$23kHighest 6% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Newbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$275,900±$28kHighest 13% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Newbury and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,259±$401Highest about the VT average |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Newbury and Athens 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 |
$3,943Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
51%±25.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Newbury and Westminster 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% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
30 min 29% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
14.3%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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 | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.