Compare towns
Ira vs Putney vs Jay vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Ira | Putney | Jay | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
2,622Highest |
471 |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Putney and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Putney and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Putney and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
— | — |
| Ira and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.