Compare towns
Sandgate vs Bennington vs Putney vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Bennington has the most renters (41.6% rent).
Putney has the most expensive homes ($300k median).
Jay has the most homeowners (97%).
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 | Sandgate | Bennington | Putney | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
15,249Highest |
2,622 |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
-3.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
18.1%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8% VT: 43.8% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.6%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6 VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$79,706±$18kHighest about the VT average |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Putney and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$213,300±$15k 33% below VT |
$300,000±$44kHighest 5% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Putney and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63Highest 8% below VT |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% VT: 10.1% |
13.2% VT: 10.1% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
72.8% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
18 min 24% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #58 of 70 in VT | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.