Compare towns
Athens vs Whiting vs Waterville vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Whiting | Waterville | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
532 |
680 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
49.1±8.2 14% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Waterville 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Waterville 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 |
$91,250±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Whiting 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±$32k 24% below VT |
$280,400±$36kHighest 11% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Whiting 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 |
$1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,110±$93 10% below VT |
$916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| 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 |
$4,227 16% below VT |
$3,957Lowest 21% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting 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% |
11.5% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest 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 | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.