Compare towns
Sandgate vs Stowe vs Williston 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%).
Stowe has the most expensive homes ($648k median).
Williston has the highest household income ($107k).
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 | Stowe | Williston | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
5,285 |
10,144Highest |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +21.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+16.2% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
46.3±7.6 7% above VT |
45.4±4.5Lowest 5% 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% |
22.5%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Stowe and Williston 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% |
25.8%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
21%±3.5 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Sandgate and Stowe 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% |
66.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
5.7%±2.7Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Williston 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 |
$93,618±$33k 15% above VT |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Williston and Stowe 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 |
$647,800±$157kHighest 105% above VT |
$475,800±$40k 50% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Stowe and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,458±$242Lowest 18% above VT |
$1,832±$130Highest 48% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$7,161Highest 42% above VT |
$5,592 11% above VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
24.5%±15.9 VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Williston 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% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
78.6% VT: 73.2% |
75.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1993 17 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
20 min 16% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
24.4%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
22.3%±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 | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Stowe Town School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Stowe High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.