Compare towns
Hoosick vs Jay vs Bennington vs Busti
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hoosick has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Busti has the most affordable homes ($165k 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 | Hoosick | Jay | Bennington | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,671 |
471Lowest |
15,249Highest |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.5 15% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
46.6±4.8 20% above U.S. |
| Jay and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Hoosick and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Hoosick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,372±$21k 22% below U.S. |
$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$67,292±$9k 17% below U.S. |
| Jay and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $177,200±$21k 47% below U.S. |
$234,200±$45kHighest 30% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
$164,600±$12kLowest 51% below U.S. |
| Jay and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $881±$148Lowest 38% below U.S. |
— | $1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,071 31% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$3,876 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1961 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 21% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Hoosick 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 | #62 of 484 in NY | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | HOOSICK FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | HOOSICK FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
— | 14.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.