Compare towns
Jay vs Brattleboro vs Sandgate vs Troy
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%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Troy has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Brattleboro | Sandgate | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
12,122Highest |
435Lowest |
1,749 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.5±5.7Lowest 3% 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% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Troy and Brattleboro 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% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Brattleboro and Troy 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 |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
| Troy 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 |
$257,300±$18kHighest 19% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
| Brattleboro and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,074±$58Highest 13% below VT |
— | $646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$5,700Highest 13% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,644 28% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Jay 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% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Troy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— | — |
| 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.