Compare towns
Athens vs Plainfield vs Windham
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).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Plainfield | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,314Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.6% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
48.1±5.5Highest 12% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Plainfield 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 |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Plainfield 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,153±$103Highest 7% below VT |
— |
| Plainfield and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$4,806Lowest 5% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield 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% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.