Compare towns
Jay vs Orange vs Sandgate vs Richford
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 highest household income ($75k).
Orange has the most expensive homes ($246k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Richford has the most affordable homes ($177k median).
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 | Orange | Sandgate | Richford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
7,573Highest |
435Lowest |
2,467 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
41.8±2.2 7% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
39±3.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Richford 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% |
20.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Richford 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
15.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
20.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Richford and Sandgate 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 7% below U.S. |
$55,824±$10kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19k 14% below U.S. |
$56,853±$13k 30% below U.S. |
| 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 30% below U.S. |
$245,900±$18kHighest 26% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$176,600±$16kLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Orange and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $775±$233Lowest 45% below U.S. |
— | $1,160±$66Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,136Highest 33% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,300 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±11.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Richford and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
22.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.8%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — | Enosburgh-Richford Unified Union School District #88 |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — | Richford Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Lowest |
— | 9.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.