Compare towns
Sandgate vs Bennington vs West Haven 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).
West Haven has the highest household income ($85k).
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 | West Haven | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435 |
15,249Highest |
234Lowest |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
44.7±2.3Lowest 4% above VT |
54±10.5 25% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
| Sandgate and West Haven 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% |
17.5%±13.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Bennington and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8 VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Sandgate 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% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| West Haven 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 |
$245,000±$34kHighest 23% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| West Haven and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,133±$63 8% below VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,513Highest 10% below VT |
$4,485 11% below 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% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Jay 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%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1978 2 yrs 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 |
25 min 8% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — | 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.