Compare towns
Townshend vs Fairlee 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%).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Athens has the youngest population (median age 47.3).
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 | Townshend | Fairlee | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
1,066 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Fairlee and Townshend 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% |
12.2%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Athens and Fairlee 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Fairlee and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$29kHighest 3% below VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Townshend and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Townshend and Fairlee 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 |
$1,083±$242 12% below VT |
$1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
| Athens and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Townshend 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% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| 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 | Rivendell Interstate 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 |
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.