Compare towns
Salisbury vs Athens vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Hancock has the youngest population (median age 33.8).
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 | Salisbury | Athens | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,200Highest |
431Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 50.6±6.5Highest 17% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT |
| Salisbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.6 VT: 7% |
| Athens and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$76,250±$34k 6% below VT |
| Salisbury and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT |
| Salisbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT |
| Salisbury and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,842 4% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,511Lowest 30% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.9%±22.6 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Athens and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973Highest 3 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 20% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
| Work from home | 6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±5 VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| 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.