Compare towns
Athens vs Poultney vs Stratton vs Vershire
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%).
Poultney has the most renters (43.3% rent).
Stratton has the highest household income ($123k).
Vershire has the most homeowners (81.5%).
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 | Poultney | Stratton | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,033Highest |
532 |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -33.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -7.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
28.2±4.5Lowest 35% below VT |
31.5±4.1 27% below VT |
45.7±9.3 6% above VT |
| Athens and Vershire 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% |
16.8%±5 VT: 17.9% |
28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Stratton and Vershire 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%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Vershire 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% |
38.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
33.2% VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
22.1%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$70,536±$11k 13% below VT |
$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$196,600±$43kLowest 38% below VT |
$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT |
$209,100±$55k 34% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$868±$113Lowest 30% below VT |
$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average |
$1,117±$80 9% below VT |
| Stratton 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 |
$3,450Lowest 32% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
23.2%±12.4 VT: 48.4% |
12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% VT: 10.1% |
11.4% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
56.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
73.3% VT: 73.2% |
81.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT |
1985 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
31 minLowest 33% above VT |
33 min 39% above VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±3.5 VT: 16.9% |
3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Vershire 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 | — | #41 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.