What stands out worked out from the figures below

Athens has the most homeowners (73.7%).

White River Junction has the shortest commute (15 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Athens	White River Junction
People
Population	431Lowest	3,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.8% VT: +2.8%
Median age	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT	33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT
Kids under 18	13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.1%±5Highest VT: 17.9%
	White River Junction 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%	12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	38.9%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3Highest VT: 7%	1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7%
	Athens and White River Junction 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	$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT
	White River Junction and Athens 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	$278,800±$78kHighest 12% below VT
	White River Junction 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	$1,222±$216Highest about the VT average
	White River Junction and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,438Lowest 8% above VT	$5,651Highest 12% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4%	42.9%±17.3Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Athens and White River Junction 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%	12.1% VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT	1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 53% above VT	15 minLowest 35% below VT
Work from home	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%	15.7%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.