Compare towns
Dummerston vs Jay vs Sandgate vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Westminster has the most renters (11.8% rent).
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 | Dummerston | Jay | Sandgate | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
471 |
435Lowest |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
| Sandgate and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Westminster and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
| Dummerston and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
— | — | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 5 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 11% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.