Compare towns
Jay vs Orwell vs Proctor vs Troy
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%).
Orwell has the most expensive homes ($336k median).
Proctor has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Troy has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Orwell | Proctor | Troy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471Lowest |
1,294 |
1,794Highest |
1,749 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+1.3% VT: +2.8% |
+3.6% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
47.5±7 10% above VT |
42.4±6.4Lowest about the VT average |
44.5±5.7 3% above VT |
| Jay and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.4%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
24%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
| Orwell and Proctor 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% |
22.1% VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
| Troy 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 |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
| Orwell and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,914 22% below VT |
$4,032Highest 20% below VT |
$3,644 28% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
10.8% VT: 10.1% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.3% VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
86.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 15% above VT |
22 minLowest 6% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Orwell 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 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Troy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.