Compare towns
Castleton vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Winhall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Winhall has the most expensive homes ($472k median).
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 | Castleton | Jay | Sandgate | Winhall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
471 |
435Lowest |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | +53.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
48.9±6.1 13% 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 | 18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17%±6.8 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Winhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.6%±5.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
67.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.1%±4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$95,500±$23kHighest 18% above VT |
| Winhall and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$471,800±$55kHighest 49% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— | — | $1,094±$732Lowest 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Winhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 37% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$6,567Highest 30% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
37.5%±38.9 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
80.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 2 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.4%±9 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 | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | — |
| High school 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.