What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stratton has the most kids (28% 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.

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

Measure	Stratton	Athens
People
Population	532Highest	431Lowest
Median age	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT
Kids under 18	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%	13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%	4.9%±3Highest VT: 7%
	Athens and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT	$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT
	Stratton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT	$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average	$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT
	Stratton and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,750Lowest 6% below VT	$5,438Highest 8% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4%
	Athens and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%	12.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	73.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT	1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest 39% above VT	36 minHighest 53% above VT
Work from home	3.3%±3.5Lowest VT: 16.9%	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%
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.