Compare towns
Sandgate vs Burke vs Walden 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%).
Burke has the most kids (23% under 18).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Burke | Walden | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
1,317Highest |
1,037 |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
41.1±4.8Lowest 5% below VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above 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% |
23%±4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.7%±2.2 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Burke 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% |
41.4% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.3 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$87,143±$17k 7% above VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Walden and Burke 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 |
$340,600±$18kHighest 8% above VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $938±$191Highest 24% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
— |
| Burke and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,177Highest about the VT average |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
74.6%±31Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Burke and Walden 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% |
10%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.6%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
25 minLowest 8% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±6.8 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | — | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.