Compare towns
Athens vs Ogunquit vs Westminster vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Westminster has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Westminster | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,379 |
2,999Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 22% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
49.1±8.2 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±8.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterville and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Westminster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Waterville 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 15% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
$71,250±$27k 12% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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±$32k 28% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
$236,300±$15kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 20% below U.S. |
— | $916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,110±$93 21% below U.S. |
| Athens and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
$3,957Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±27.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 36% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.