Compare towns
Townshend vs Windham 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%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 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 | Windham | Fairlee | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,538Highest |
594 |
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 |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
47.3±6.5 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham 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% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.8 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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±$29k 3% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$74,760±$10k 8% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 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 |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 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 |
— | $1,083±$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 |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.5%±23.1 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Lowest VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%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 |
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 |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 28%±18.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest 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 | ||||
| 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 Our Story | 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.