Compare towns
Athens vs Orwell vs Waterville
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%).
Orwell has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Waterville has the oldest population (median age 49.1).
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 | Orwell | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,294Highest |
680 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
| Waterville and Orwell 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% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Waterville 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% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
| 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 16% below VT |
$70,417±$22k 13% below VT |
$71,250±$27kHighest 12% below VT |
| Waterville and Orwell 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 |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
| 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 8% above VT |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell 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 VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
27 minLowest 15% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest 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 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.