Compare towns
Jay vs Salisbury vs Sheffield
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%).
Salisbury has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($172k 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 | Salisbury | Sheffield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
1,200Highest |
573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% VT: +2.8% |
+7.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
50.6±6.5 17% above VT |
42±8Lowest about the VT average |
| Jay and Salisbury 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% |
16.6%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±6.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sheffield and Salisbury 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% |
30.4%±2.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.2%±4 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
27.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.9%±4.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Sheffield and Jay 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 |
$99,688±$21kHighest 23% above VT |
$58,333±$26kLowest 28% below VT |
| Salisbury 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 |
$306,900±$51kHighest 3% below VT |
$171,900±$50kLowest 46% below VT |
| Salisbury and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,443±$984Highest 17% above VT |
$967±$79Lowest 22% below VT |
| Salisbury and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 29% below VT |
$4,842Highest 4% below VT |
$2,123Lowest 58% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
61.5%±41.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Sheffield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
6.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.7% VT: 73.2% |
83.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT |
1987 11 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
19 minLowest 20% below VT |
30 min 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
6%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.1%±2.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.