Compare towns
Whiting vs Rochester 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).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Athens has the most affordable homes ($240k 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 | Rochester | Athens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 532 |
1,389Highest |
431Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.5% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT |
53.3±7.6Highest 24% above VT |
47.3±6.5 10% above VT |
| Rochester 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% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Whiting and Athens 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% |
31.5%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest 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±$38kHighest 12% above VT |
$72,676±$8k 11% below VT |
$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
| Whiting and Rochester 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 |
$253,600±$81k 20% below VT |
$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT |
| Whiting and Rochester 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 |
$929±$158Lowest 25% 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 |
$3,977Lowest 21% below VT |
$5,438Highest 8% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3 VT: 48.4% |
62.4%±27.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
43.5%±39Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Rochester and Whiting 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% |
18.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
86.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 7% below VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
36 minHighest 53% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
40.8%±27.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
19.3%±7.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Rochester 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 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.