Compare towns
Glover vs Jay vs Middlebury vs Sheffield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Glover has the most kids (22.3% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
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 | Glover | Jay | Middlebury | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,051 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.4±5.9 12% above VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42±8 about the VT average |
| Jay and Glover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Glover and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±3.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Glover and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±3.1 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,839±$18k 9% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below 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 | $264,700±$34k 16% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $973±$130 21% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Middlebury and Glover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,234 36% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.3%±64.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
83.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 16.8%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Middlebury 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 | — | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Lake Region Union Elementary Middle School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.