Compare towns
Athens vs Orleans vs Orwell
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Orleans has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Orwell has the most expensive homes ($336k 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 | Orleans | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
809 |
1,294Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
| Orwell 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% |
17.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Orleans 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% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell 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%Highest VT: 43.8% |
24.8% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$57,159±$10kLowest 30% below VT |
$70,417±$22kHighest 13% below VT |
| Orwell 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$810±$94Lowest 34% below VT |
$1,105±$51 10% below VT |
| Athens and Orwell 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 |
$3,019Lowest 40% below VT |
$3,914 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
27.3%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell 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% |
8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
31 min 33% above VT |
27 minLowest 15% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.