Compare towns
Jay vs Springfield vs Sandgate vs West Fairlee
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 homeowners (97%).
Springfield has the most expensive homes ($384k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
West Fairlee has the youngest population (median age 50.3).
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 | Springfield | Sandgate | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 471 |
1,122Highest |
435Lowest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
51.4±8.8 32% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
50.3±7.6Lowest 29% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±1.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Fairlee and Sandgate 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Fairlee and Sandgate 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. |
$100,893±$19kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$76,500±$16k 5% below U.S. |
| Springfield and West Fairlee 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. |
$384,100±$50kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,096±$217Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,113±$171Highest 21% below U.S. |
| West Fairlee and Springfield 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. |
$5,946Highest 91% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.9%±64.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| West Fairlee and Jay 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% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±11.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | None in town |
| 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.