Compare towns
Athens vs Whiting vs Williston
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 affordable homes ($240k median).
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k 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 | Whiting | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
532 |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +16.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
45.4±4.5 5% above VT |
| Athens and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Williston 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% |
13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Williston 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% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Williston 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±$38k 12% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
| Williston and Whiting 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 |
$280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT |
$1,204±$519 about the VT average |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
| Williston and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438 8% above VT |
$4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Williston 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% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% VT: 73.2% |
65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 53% above VT |
22 min 7% below VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Williston 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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.