Compare towns
Jay vs Plainfield vs Sandgate vs Windham
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 homeowners (97%).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Windham has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Plainfield | Sandgate | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
1,314Highest |
435Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-0.6%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
48.1±5.5 12% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT 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 VT: 17.9% |
16.3%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Plainfield 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% |
21.1%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Windham 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% |
48.2%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
2.1%±1.3 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sandgate and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$69,250±$31k 15% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham 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 |
$318,400±$34k about the VT average |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Windham and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,153±$103 7% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$4,806 5% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
73.2%±53.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Plainfield and Windham 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% |
11.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 16% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay 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 | — | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | — |
| 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.