Compare towns
Athens vs Westminster vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
Bordering AthensTownshend
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
2,999Highest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
| Grafton and Westminster 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Athens 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% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Grafton and Westminster 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% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
48.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest 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 |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$76,111±$7kHighest 6% below VT |
| Grafton and Westminster 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 |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
| Grafton 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 9% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% 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 |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,843 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton 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 VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min 4% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.