Compare towns
Whiting vs Fairfax 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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
Athens has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
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 | Fairfax | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
5,226Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 8% below VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% 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%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1 VT: 21.4% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Athens and Whiting 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% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Lowest 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 |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Fairfax 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 |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest about the VT average |
$1,080±$131Lowest 12% 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 | $4,227Lowest 16% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$5,438 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
| Whiting and Athens 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% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1994Highest 18 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 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%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Fairfax 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | Fairfax School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.