What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k median).

Waterbury has the most expensive homes ($447k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sandgate	Waterbury
People
Population	435Lowest	5,405Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.3% VT: +2.8%
Median age	55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT	43.2±3.7Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	13.1%±7.5Lowest VT: 17.9%	21.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9%
	Waterbury and Sandgate 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%	19.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Sandgate and Waterbury 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%	54.2%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±2.8Highest VT: 7%
	Waterbury 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	$103,917±$23kHighest 28% above VT
	Waterbury and Sandgate 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	$447,200±$40kHighest 41% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,027±$535 17% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,778Lowest 45% below VT	$6,435Highest 28% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	46.8%±21.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Waterbury and Sandgate 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%	7.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.3%Highest VT: 73.2%	70.6%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 16% above VT	30 minHighest 28% above VT
Work from home	34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9%	28.3%±6.8Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Sandgate and Waterbury 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	—	#20 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Harwood Unified Union School District #60
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.