Compare towns
Cameron vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Thurston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cameron has the most kids (37.3% under 18).
Jay has the most expensive homes ($234k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Thurston has the shortest commute (26 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 | Cameron | Jay | Sandgate | Thurston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,049 |
471 |
435Lowest |
1,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.5±6Lowest 16% below U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.7±3.7 28% 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 | 37.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Thurston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
12.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thurston and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,125±$17kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$73,409±$14k 9% below U.S. |
| Jay and Thurston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,800±$37kLowest 65% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$138,800±$8k 58% below U.S. |
| Jay and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$733Lowest 31% below U.S. |
— | — | $1,125±$264Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Thurston and Cameron are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,735Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$3,588Highest 15% above U.S. |
$2,778 11% below U.S. |
$3,406 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 86.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cameron and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 38.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 2.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.5%±2.7 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 | 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.