Compare towns
Appleton vs Jay vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Jay has the highest household income ($75k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Appleton | Jay | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Highest |
471 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Appleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Appleton and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
| Jay and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kHighest 29% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Appleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 22% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None 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.