Compare towns
Jay vs Middlebury vs Wheelock vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Wheelock has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Wheelock | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
9,175Highest |
717 |
435Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
51±5.6 18% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% 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% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Wheelock 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%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
29.4%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Wheelock 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% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.3 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$86,169±$16kHighest 6% above VT |
$64,792±$20kLowest 20% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
| Middlebury 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 |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$189,600±$37kLowest 40% below VT |
$193,800±$31k 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,156±$113 6% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$2,937 42% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury 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% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1989 13 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
28 min 17% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.1%±16 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Middlebury Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— | — |
| 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.