Compare towns
Barre vs Jay vs Middlesex vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Middlesex has the most expensive homes ($376k median).
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 | Barre | Jay | Middlesex | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
471 |
1,943 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.8% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Middlesex and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
— | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192 3% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Jay and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
96.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1986 10 yrs newer than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.