Compare towns
Jay vs Dover vs Mendon vs Sandgate
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%).
Dover has the most renters (18.9% rent).
Mendon has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Jay | Dover | Mendon | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
1,466Highest |
1,113 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+8.5% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Lowest 21% above VT |
53.5±8.3 24% above VT |
53.4±10.5 24% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Dover 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% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Mendon 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% |
29.5%±6.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Dover and Mendon 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% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Mendon and Dover 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 |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$100,524±$23kHighest 24% above VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Mendon 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 |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$357,000±$44kHighest 13% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Mendon and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,230±$651Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Mendon and Dover 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 |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.2% VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.2% VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
17 minLowest 28% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
22.5%±8.9Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | — |
| 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.