Compare towns
Newbury vs Waterville vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newbury has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Waterville has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Newbury | Waterville | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 393Lowest |
680Highest |
431 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 48.3±14 12% above VT |
49.1±8.2Highest 14% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Waterville and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
20.4%±8.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Waterville and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±9.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Newbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±6.5Highest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.3 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Lowest VT: 7% |
| Newbury and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$23kHighest 6% below VT |
$71,250±$27k 12% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Newbury and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,900±$28kHighest 13% below VT |
$236,300±$15kLowest 25% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Newbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,259±$401Highest about the VT average |
$1,110±$93Lowest 10% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Newbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,943Lowest 22% below VT |
$3,957 21% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51%±25.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.6%±27.2 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Newbury and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 67.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 29% above VT |
38 minHighest 60% above VT |
36 min 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.3%±8.1 VT: 16.9% |
8.5%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lamoille North Modified Union School District #058A | — |
| High school 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.