Compare towns
Athol vs Jericho vs Williston vs Palmer Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
Jericho has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Palmer Town has the most renters (28.5% 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 | Athol | Jericho | Williston | Palmer Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,011 |
5,114Lowest |
10,144 |
12,381Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±1.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
49.7±5.1Highest 28% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
47.8±5.6 23% above U.S. |
| Jericho and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Athol and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Palmer Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,316±$5kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$116,923±$16kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$78,480±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Jericho and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,100±$13kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$493,100±$38kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$271,400±$21k 18% below U.S. |
| Jericho and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$182 19% below U.S. |
$1,731±$111 23% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,075±$103Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Williston and Jericho are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,403Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$7,318Highest 135% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,540 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±17.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
79.3%±52.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±10.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jericho and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.3%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Jericho 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 | #256 of 282 in MA | #6 of 70 in VT | #11 of 70 in VT | #252 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Athol High | Mt. Mansfield Union High School | None in town | Pathfinder Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
13.0Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.