Compare towns
Athens vs Sandgate vs Grafton
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 renters (26.3% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Grafton has the most expensive homes ($343k 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 | Sandgate | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
435 |
666Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | -5% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
| Grafton and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Sandgate 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% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Sandgate 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
| Grafton 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 |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$76,111±$7kHighest 6% below VT |
| Grafton and Sandgate 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 |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
| Grafton and Athens 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 |
— | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
| Grafton 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 |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,843 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 minLowest 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Athens Grafton School District |
| 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.