Compare towns
Townshend vs Barre vs Windham vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Townshend | Barre | Windham | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538 |
8,412Highest |
594 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±6.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29k 3% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79k 9% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Windham and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
— | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364 6% above VT |
$5,192Lowest 3% above VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.