Compare towns
Westminster vs Newfane vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westminster has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
Newfane has the most people working from home (30.8%).
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
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 | Westminster | Newfane | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,999Highest |
1,456 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
54.4±3.9Highest 26% above VT |
47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.1%±3.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.3% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,491±$4kHighest 12% below VT |
$66,719±$21kLowest 18% below VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Westminster and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$284,200±$49kHighest 10% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,266±$238Highest about the VT average |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Newfane and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$5,174 about the VT average |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
51.9%±79.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Newfane and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.2% VT: 73.2% |
73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 13% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
30.8%±12.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Newfane and Westminster 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | West River Valley Union Education District #72A | — |
| High school in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.