Compare towns

Benson vs Jay vs Sandgate

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Benson has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Jay has the highest household income ($75k).
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.

MeasureBensonJaySandgate
People
Population
271Lowest
471Highest
435
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+5.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
—
Median age
50.7±7.7Lowest
30% above U.S.
52.1±10.5
34% above U.S.
55.7±5.4Highest
43% above U.S.
Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
14.4%±9.3Highest
U.S.: 22%
14.2%±7.3
U.S.: 22%
13.1%±7.5Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Benson and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
34.3%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
15.5%±6.3Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
26%±11.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Benson and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
21.1%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
45.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
37.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.1%±5.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
1.9%±2.5
U.S.: 6.4%
2.3%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$69,375±$13k
14% below U.S.
$74,792±$25kHighest
7% below U.S.
$69,167±$19kLowest
14% below U.S.
Jay and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$230,100±$15k
31% below U.S.
$234,200±$45kHighest
30% below U.S.
$193,800±$31kLowest
42% below U.S.
Jay and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,528Lowest
19% below U.S.
$3,588Highest
15% above U.S.
$2,778
11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
40%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
0%±100Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Jay and Benson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.7%
U.S.: 12.5%
9.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
97%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
94.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966
14 yrs older than U.S.
2001Highest
21 yrs newer than U.S.
1959Lowest
21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minLowest
about the U.S. average
40 minHighest
50% above U.S.
27 min
3% above U.S.
Work from home
9.6%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
27.3%±13.7
U.S.: 15.1%
34.6%±32.4Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Sandgate and Jay 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 —
High school in town — None in town —
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

U.S. 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.