Compare towns
Athens vs Windham vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k 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 | Windham | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
1,432 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 22% above U.S. |
56.5±5.1Highest 45% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7 38% above U.S. |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Westminster 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham 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 15% below U.S. |
$76,477±$17kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$71,491±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Windham 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±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$315,600±$74kHighest 5% below U.S. |
$273,800±$35k 18% below U.S. |
| Windham and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 20% below U.S. |
$850±$295Lowest 40% below U.S. |
$916±$126 35% below U.S. |
| Athens and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
$3,363Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$4,063 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school 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 |
U.S. 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.