Compare towns
Athens vs Townshend vs Whiting
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).
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Townshend | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,538Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Townshend 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% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
| Whiting 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 |
$78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
| Whiting and Townshend 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 |
$287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
| Townshend and Whiting 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 |
$1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
| Whiting 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 |
$5,364 6% above VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Whiting 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% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
25 min 6% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.1 |
— |
| 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.