Compare towns
Athens vs Salisbury vs Cornwall
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).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k 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 | Salisbury | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,200 |
1,208Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
| Salisbury and Cornwall 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall 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% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Cornwall 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 |
$99,688±$21k 23% above VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
| Cornwall and Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51k 3% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,125±$206Lowest 9% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$4,842Lowest 4% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall 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% |
4.6% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| 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.