Compare towns
Jay vs Fairlee 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 kids (14.2% under 18).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
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 | Fairlee | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Highest |
54Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Lowest 21% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
| Fairlee and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Jay and Sandgate 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% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Sandgate 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% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Jay and Sandgate 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 |
$277,500±$28kHighest 12% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Fairlee and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,057±$620 14% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$3,750Highest 26% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
— | 27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Lowest 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.