Compare towns
Jay vs Middlebury vs Putney
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 people working from home (27.3%).
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Putney has the most kids (15.4% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
9,175Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
37.2±5.2 14% below VT |
| Jay and Putney 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Putney 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% |
20.7%±2.6Highest VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Middlebury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
| Middlebury and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113Highest 6% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,313 5% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4 VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Putney and Middlebury 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% |
10.7% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.