What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mendon	Athens
People
Population	1,113Highest	431Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT	47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%	13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	49.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7%	4.9%±3Highest VT: 7%
	Athens and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT	$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT	$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average	$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,342Lowest 6% above VT	$5,438Highest 8% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4%	43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	12.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 28% below VT	36 minHighest 53% above VT
Work from home	22.5%±8.9Highest VT: 16.9%	19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Mendon and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.