Compare towns
Whiting vs Jay vs Proctor 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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Jay | Proctor | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
471 |
1,794Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Jay 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Proctor 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% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor 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% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Whiting and Jay 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% 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 |
— | $1,029±$202Lowest 17% 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 |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest 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% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer 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 |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
36 min 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Athens 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 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| 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.