Compare towns
Grafton vs Worcester vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most expensive homes ($343k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Athens has the most renters (26.3% 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 | Grafton | Worcester | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 666 |
831Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 59.2±4.4Highest 37% above VT |
47±2.7Lowest 9% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Kids under 18 | 5.9%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.4% VT: 43.8% |
53%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±5Highest VT: 7% |
6.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,111±$7kHighest 6% below VT |
$73,833±$18k 9% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $343,200±$85kHighest 8% above VT |
$271,100±$27k 14% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,288±$174Highest 4% above VT |
$1,023±$136Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Grafton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,843 4% below VT |
$4,421Lowest 12% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.8%±69.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
25.5%±37Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
| Grafton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
5.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.9% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% above VT |
29 min 22% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 15.8%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Worcester and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Athens Grafton School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.