Compare towns
Athens vs Sheldon 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%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
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 | Sheldon | Vershire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,267Highest |
842 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% 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% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
19.1%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Vershire 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 |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$71,618±$12k 12% below VT |
| Sheldon and Vershire 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 |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$209,100±$55kLowest 34% below VT |
| Sheldon and Athens 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 |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,117±$80Lowest 9% below VT |
| Sheldon 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 |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,640 8% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
19.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
89%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1985Highest 9 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
32 min 38% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.3%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| 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.