Compare towns
Whiting vs Fair Haven 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 highest household income ($91k).
Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k 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 | Fair Haven | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
2,724Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
39.2±7.6Lowest 9% below VT |
47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT |
| Athens and Whiting 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% |
19.4%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Fair Haven 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% |
18.4%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9% VT: 43.8% |
23.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±2.9Lowest 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±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below VT |
$68,438±$30k 16% below VT |
| 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 11% below VT |
$176,500±$14kLowest 44% below VT |
$240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
| 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 about the VT average |
$830±$116Lowest 33% below VT |
$1,125±$537 9% below VT |
| 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 16% below VT |
$3,865Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±20.9 VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
18.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.6%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
4.3%±2.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Athens and Whiting 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 | — | #66 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Fair Haven Union Middle and High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.