Compare towns
Athens vs Putney vs Randolph 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%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Randolph has the most renters (32.8% rent).
Vershire has the most affordable homes ($209k 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 | Putney | Randolph | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,622 |
4,843Highest |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-0.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
40.4±7.4 6% 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% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
17.3%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Vershire and Randolph 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
22.9%±4.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Randolph and Vershire 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% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.8% VT: 43.8% |
31.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
11.2%±2.5 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$76,758±$6k 5% below VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Putney and Randolph 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 |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$278,700±$38k 12% below VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Putney and Randolph 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$1,172±$173Highest 5% below VT |
$1,117±$80 9% below VT |
| Randolph 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 |
$5,313 5% above VT |
$4,698 7% below VT |
$4,640Lowest 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.1%±17.8 VT: 48.4% |
77.8%±24.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Vershire and Putney 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% |
16% VT: 10.1% |
7.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
67.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.5%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
21 min 12% below VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
12.9%±4.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Putney 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #55 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Randolph Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.