Compare towns

Athens vs Whiting vs Windham vs Westminster

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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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.

MeasureAthensWhitingWindhamWestminster
People
Population
431Lowest
532
594
2,999Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — — —
-5.1%
VT: +2.8%
Median age
47.3±6.5
10% above VT
39.6±2.7Lowest
8% below VT
44.2±7.4
about the VT average
53.5±3.7Highest
24% above VT
Westminster and Athens 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%
17.5%±7.9
VT: 17.9%
18.2%±4.7
VT: 17.9%
Whiting and Westminster 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%
23.2%±8.1
VT: 21.4%
27.6%±6.8Highest
VT: 21.4%
Westminster and Windham 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%
48.1%Highest
VT: 43.8%
46.3%
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.9%±3
VT: 7%
6.2%±4Highest
VT: 7%
0.8%±1.1Lowest
VT: 7%
4.4%±3.1
VT: 7%
Whiting 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
$91,250±$38k
12% above VT
$94,500±$12kHighest
16% above VT
$71,491±$4k
12% below VT
Windham 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
$353,900±$20kHighest
12% above VT
$273,800±$35k
14% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,125±$537
9% below VT
$1,204±$519Highest
about the VT average
—
$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
$5,438
8% above VT
$4,227
16% below VT
$5,951Highest
18% above VT
$4,063Lowest
19% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
43.5%±39
VT: 48.4%
58.3%±37.3Highest
VT: 48.4%
41.2%±94Lowest
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%
9.9%
VT: 10.1%
8.8%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.7%
VT: 73.2%
65.4%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
82.9%
VT: 73.2%
88.2%Highest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973Lowest
3 yrs older than VT
1975
1 yr older than VT
1982Highest
6 yrs newer than VT
1980
4 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
53% above VT
22 minLowest
7% below VT
27 min
14% above VT
24 min
about the VT average
Work from home
19.3%±7.5
VT: 16.9%
10%±5.4Lowest
VT: 16.9%
20.5%±5.6
VT: 16.9%
27%±6.6Highest
VT: 16.9%
Westminster and Windham 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 — Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town — None in town — Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school — — —
10.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.