Compare towns
Athens vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Townshend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most renters (26.3% rent).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Townshend has the most expensive homes ($287k 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 | Athens | Jay | Sandgate | Townshend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 431Lowest |
471 |
435 |
1,538Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Lowest 10% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
55.6±9.6 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
12%±2.6Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±6.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
52.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.4%±0.8Lowest VT: 7% |
| Athens and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$78,750±$29kHighest 3% below VT |
| Townshend and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 24% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$287,200±$79kHighest 9% below VT |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537Highest 9% below VT |
— | — | $1,074±$80Lowest 13% below VT |
| Athens and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 8% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,364 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
72.5%±23.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Townshend and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 3 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 53% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
25 minLowest 6% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
28%±18.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Townshend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | West River Valley Union Education District #72B · West River Valley Union Education District #72A |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Leland & Gray Union Middle & High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.1 |
| 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.