Compare towns
Athens vs Orwell vs Whiting
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).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,294Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
47.5±7Highest 10% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below 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% |
21.8%±5.4 VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Orwell 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest 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% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
25.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting 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 |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
| Whiting 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±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Orwell and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,105±$51Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting and Athens 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 |
$4,227 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Whiting 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%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| 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.