Compare towns
Athens vs Webster vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Webster | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,227 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 22% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Westminster 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athens and Westminster 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 15% below U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Webster and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Webster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 74% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Merrimack Valley School District | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.