Compare towns
Jay vs Townsend 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 people working from home (27.3%).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
West Fairlee has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Townsend | West Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
9,100Highest |
711 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.3±7.6 29% above U.S. |
| Jay and West Fairlee 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% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,792±$25kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$76,500±$16k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$433,200±$22kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,113±$171Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Townsend and West Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% above U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and West Fairlee 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | North Middlesex | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.