Compare towns
Sandgate vs Fairfax 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%).
Fairfax has the highest household income ($129k).
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 | Fairfax | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435Lowest |
5,226Highest |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +17%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
38.8±3.3Lowest 10% 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% |
24%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairfax and Jay 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% |
12.5%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
49.5%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.3%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Fairfax 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±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
$128,963±$29kHighest 59% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Fairfax 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 |
$378,200±$22kHighest 19% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,080±$131 12% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,497Highest 9% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.3%±33.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Fairfax and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
85.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1994 18 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 16% above VT |
31 min 31% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
26.7%±7.6Lowest 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 | — | #36 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Fairfax School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Free Academy Middle/High School (Fairfax) | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.8 |
— |
| 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.