Compare towns
Athens vs Northfield 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).
Northfield has the youngest population (median age 36.4).
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 | Northfield | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
5,920Highest |
2,999 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% 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% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Northfield 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%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster 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% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$71,768±$13kHighest 12% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Northfield 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 |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Northfield and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Athens and Northfield 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 |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield 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% |
12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | Northfield Middle/High School | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.0Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.