Compare towns
Jay vs Windham vs Fairlee
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).
Fairlee has the shortest commute (24 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 | Windham | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 471Lowest |
594 |
1,066Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
56.2±8.7Highest 30% above VT |
| Fairlee 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 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
33.4%±5.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7Highest VT: 7% |
| Fairlee 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 |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
| Windham 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±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$274,200±$39k 13% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,083±$242 12% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$5,617 11% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Windham 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
80.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
24 minLowest 3% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9Lowest 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 | — | 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 |
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.