Compare towns
Highgate vs Jay vs Middlebury vs Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k 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 | Highgate | Jay | Middlebury | Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,528 |
471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
2,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44±7.4 about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
42.6±5.4 about the VT average |
| Jay and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±3.6 VT: 17.9% |
| Highgate and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
22.8%±2.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Vernon and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
3%±1.7 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14k about the VT average |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$85,682±$9k 6% above VT |
| Middlebury and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$285,100±$25k 10% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
— | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$1,023±$214 17% below VT |
| Middlebury and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,191 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
26.2%±3.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
76.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1979 3 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 32% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
6.4%±3.1Lowest 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #30 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | 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.