Compare towns
Belvidere vs Jay vs Sheldon vs Bakersfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belvidere has the most renters (13.9% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheldon has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Bakersfield has the highest household income ($83k).
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 | Belvidere | Jay | Sheldon | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 422Lowest |
471 |
2,267Highest |
1,109 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.5% VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
40.9±3.5 5% below VT |
46.4±8 8% above VT |
| Jay and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±3.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
21.2%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bakersfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3 VT: 7% |
7.5%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Bakersfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,563±$18k about the VT average |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$83,462±$18kHighest about the VT average |
| Bakersfield and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $239,200±$51k 24% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$272,400±$61kHighest 14% below VT |
$271,300±$19k 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT |
— | $1,286±$379 4% above VT |
$1,200±$327Lowest about the VT average |
| Belvidere and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908Highest 22% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,823 24% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
18.8%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Belvidere and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.5% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
94% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 60% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
25 minLowest 7% above VT |
33 min 40% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Bakersfield 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.