Compare towns
Jay vs Meredith vs Middletown Springs
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Meredith has the highest household income ($86k).
Middletown Springs has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Meredith | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
1,467Highest |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6Highest 40% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middletown Springs 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±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$85,938±$16kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$82,000±$12k about the U.S. average |
| Meredith and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$262,200±$24kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,630 16% above U.S. |
$4,595Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Middletown Springs 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 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.