Compare towns
Barnard vs Bridgewater vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Barnard | Bridgewater | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Highest |
980 |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
57.1±8Highest 32% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
| Bridgewater and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bridgewater and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kHighest 20% above VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Barnard and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kHighest 27% above VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Highest 11% above VT |
$850±$778Lowest 31% below VT |
— |
| Barnard and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Highest 20% above VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bridgewater and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | — | 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 |
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.