Compare towns
Dover vs Cornwall vs Athens vs Wardsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Cornwall has the highest household income ($115k).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Wardsboro has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
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 | Dover | Cornwall | Athens | Wardsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
1,208 |
431Lowest |
820 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— | -3.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
50.4±4.6 17% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
51.6±7.3 20% above VT |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Wardsboro and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±3.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
38.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
$62,000±$6k 24% below VT |
| Cornwall and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
$299,300±$47k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$1,479±$224Highest 20% above VT |
| Wardsboro and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
$4,345Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
54.5%±58 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Wardsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.4% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.