Compare towns
Athens vs White River Junction vs Wilder
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%).
White River Junction has the most renters (56.1% rent).
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 | White River Junction | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
3,364Highest |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +10.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+81.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
33.7±3.2Lowest 22% below VT |
45.5±8.9 6% above VT |
| Athens and Wilder 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% |
17.1%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest 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%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Wilder 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 VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
60.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
1.2%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7% |
| Wilder 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 |
$77,168±$4kHighest 5% below VT |
$75,143±$9k 7% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$273,200±$18k 14% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$1,142±$451 7% below VT |
| White River Junction and Wilder 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 |
$5,505 9% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.9%±17.3 VT: 48.4% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
43.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
62.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1963Lowest 13 yrs older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
15 minLowest 35% below VT |
17 min 29% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.7%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±6.7Lowest 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 | 6 photos → |
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.