Compare towns
Whiting vs Barre vs Cornwall vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k 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 | Whiting | Barre | Cornwall | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
8,412Highest |
1,208 |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
42.2±6.6 about the VT average |
50.4±4.6Highest 17% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Cornwall and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.7%±3 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
25.7%±6.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Cornwall and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Lowest VT: 7% |
3.7%±3.1 VT: 7% |
4.9%±3 VT: 7% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38k 12% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$114,583±$32kHighest 41% above VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| Cornwall and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36k 11% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$458,000±$49kHighest 45% above VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$206 9% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| Whiting and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$6,726Highest 33% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.9%±65.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
| Cornwall and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 7% below VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Cornwall and Athens 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.