Compare towns
Townshend vs Williston 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%).
Williston has the most expensive homes ($476k median).
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 | Williston | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,538 |
10,144Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.6±9.6Highest 29% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% above VT |
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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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±$29k 3% below VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Williston 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 |
$475,800±$40kHighest 50% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,364Lowest 6% above VT |
$5,592Highest 11% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
75.1% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993Highest 17 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% above VT |
20 minLowest 16% below VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±7.6 VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Townshend and Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| 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.