Compare towns
Jay vs Barnet vs Sandgate vs West Fairlee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
Barnet has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
West Fairlee has the highest household income ($77k).
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 | Jay | Barnet | Sandgate | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
1,855Highest |
435Lowest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-2.6% VT: +2.8% |
— | -4.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
47.7±5.3Lowest 11% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
50.3±7.6 17% above VT |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Barnet and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.8%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Fairlee and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
44.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1%±0.9Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| West Fairlee and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$67,386±$15kLowest 17% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$76,500±$16kHighest 6% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$247,900±$24kHighest 22% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$237,200±$35k 25% below VT |
| Barnet and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $974±$72Lowest 21% below VT |
— | $1,113±$171Highest 10% below VT |
| West Fairlee and Barnet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$4,489 11% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,210Highest 3% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
59.3%±29.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50%±89.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Barnet and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
91.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±4.5 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None 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.