Compare towns
Townshend vs Mendon 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%).
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Mendon | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
1,113 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Townshend and Mendon 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% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
29%±1.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
49.4% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Mendon 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 |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Mendon and Athens 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 |
$5,342Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
92.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Mendon 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School | — | — |
| 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.