Compare towns
Jay vs Proctor vs Middlebury
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%).
Proctor has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% 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 | Proctor | Middlebury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
1,794 |
7,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+1.3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+10.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
23.7±1.3Lowest 45% below VT |
| Jay and Proctor 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% |
21.8%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor 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% |
22.4%±2.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.8%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Proctor and Middlebury 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% |
28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
61.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
40.9%±2.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$74,167±$12kLowest 9% below VT |
$86,250±$18kHighest 6% above 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 |
$209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$417,400±$31kHighest 32% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,029±$202Lowest 17% below VT |
$1,201±$120Highest about the VT average |
| Middlebury 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 |
$4,032 20% below VT |
$6,795Highest 35% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
37.3%±16.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.6%±15.8Highest 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% |
16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
15.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.7% VT: 73.2% |
56.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
15 minLowest 38% below VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.4%±4.6Lowest VT: 16.9% |
19.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Middlebury 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 | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.