Compare towns
Townshend vs Cornish vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townshend has the most people working from home (28%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
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.
| Measure | Townshend | Cornish | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,538 |
1,816Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 43% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Townshend and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornish 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Athens and Townshend 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 about the U.S. average |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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 14% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Cornish 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 24% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364Lowest 72% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$5,438 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.