Compare towns
Highgate vs Jay vs Sheldon vs Sutton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most renters (19.3% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
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 | Sheldon | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
471Lowest |
2,267 |
2,239 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±7.4 13% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
| Jay and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Highgate and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14k about the U.S. average |
$74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 16% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 37% below U.S. |
— | $1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,588 15% above U.S. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jay and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Highgate 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Kearsarge Regional School District |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | None in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
— | — | 10.4Highest |
| 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.