Compare towns
Athens vs Reading vs Newbury
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).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k median).
Newbury has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Reading | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431 |
699Highest |
393Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
51.1±7.6Highest 19% above VT |
48.3±14 12% above VT |
| Reading and Newbury 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% |
18.5%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Newbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.2%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.5%±9.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Reading and Newbury 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% |
46%Highest VT: 43.8% |
38.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
6.9%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Newbury 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 |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above VT |
$76,250±$23k 6% below VT |
| Reading and Newbury 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 19% above VT |
$275,900±$28k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,100±$331Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,259±$401Highest about the VT average |
| Newbury 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 |
$5,754Highest 14% above VT |
$3,943Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±31.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
51%±25.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Reading and Newbury 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% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1969 7 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
33 min 41% above VT |
30 minLowest 29% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
22.9%±10.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
14.3%±8.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Reading and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.