Compare towns
Whiting vs Busti vs Athens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
Busti has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Busti | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
7,452Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.6±4.8 20% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Athens and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Busti 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
29.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$67,292±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$68,438±$30k 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$164,600±$12kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,085±$106Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$3,876Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athens and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.