What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athens has the most kids (13.9% under 18).

North Bennington has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Athens	North Bennington
People
Population	431Lowest	1,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.4% VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT	43.9±10Lowest about the VT average
	Athens and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%	10.4%±2.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Athens and North Bennington 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%	31.9%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4%
	North Bennington 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%	41.4%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7%	21.6%±6.5Highest VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT	$68,571±$10kHighest 16% below VT
	North Bennington 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±$32kLowest 24% below VT	$313,000±$40kHighest about the VT average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT	$1,447±$278Highest 17% above VT
	North Bennington and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,438Lowest 8% above VT	$5,590Highest 11% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%	53.7%±26.9Highest VT: 48.4%
	North Bennington and Athens 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%	7.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	61.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT	1957Lowest 19 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 53% above VT	18 minLowest 24% below VT
Work from home	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%	17.3%±7.3Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and North Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.