Compare towns
Jay vs Proctor vs Exeter vs Middletown Springs
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 most people working from home (27.3%).
Proctor has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Exeter has the most homeowners (97.7%).
Middletown Springs has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.6%).
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 | Proctor | Exeter | Middletown Springs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471Lowest |
1,794Highest |
913 |
747 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-14.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
42.4±6.4Lowest 9% above U.S. |
51.7±12.6 33% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1 26% above U.S. |
| Jay and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middletown Springs and Exeter 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% |
22.4%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±10.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Middletown Springs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Proctor and Middletown Springs 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 7% below U.S. |
$74,167±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$77,550±$19k 4% below U.S. |
$82,000±$12kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Middletown Springs and Exeter 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. |
$209,900±$17kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$243,000±$89k 27% below U.S. |
$262,200±$24kHighest 21% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,029±$202 27% below U.S. |
$867±$44Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$1,208±$438Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Middletown Springs and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 15% above U.S. |
$4,032 29% above U.S. |
$2,926Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$4,595Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.3%±16.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jay and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Middletown Springs 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school 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 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.