Compare towns
Barnard vs Jay vs Bridgewater
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).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Bridgewater has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Jay | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211Highest |
471Lowest |
980 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
57.1±8Highest 32% 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% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.2%±0.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
40.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3.8Highest 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 |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% 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 |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$218,300±$55kLowest 31% 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 |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$3,418Lowest 32% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
59.7%±39.1Highest 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% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
14.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
85.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 21% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest 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.