Compare towns
Jay vs Windham vs Fairfield
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%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% under 18).
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 | Windham | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
594 |
1,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +8.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
42.3±2.7Lowest about the VT average |
| Jay and Windham 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% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
25.4%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Jay 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% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
30.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.5%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairfield 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±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$87,019±$22k 7% above VT |
| Windham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$320,600±$22k about the VT average |
| Windham and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,056±$441 14% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,816 4% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±20.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.5% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
7.8%±3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Windham 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 | — | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school 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.