Compare towns
Bristol vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Middlebury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most kids (14.2% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bristol | Jay | Sandgate | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,778 |
471 |
435Lowest |
9,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46k 7% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
| Middlebury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
— | — | $1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
| Bristol and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978 19% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 same as VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | None in town | — | Middlebury Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Lowest |
— | — | 12.6Highest |
| 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.