Compare towns
Sandgate vs Westminster vs Dummerston 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%).
Westminster has the most renters (11.8% rent).
Dummerston has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Westminster | Dummerston | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
2,999Highest |
2,090 |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+0.1% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
53.5±3.7 24% above VT |
45.6±11.7Lowest 6% above VT |
52.1±10.5 21% above VT |
| Sandgate and Westminster 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% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
21.7%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Dummerston and Westminster 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.3%±3 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Westminster 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
58.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1Highest VT: 7% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
| Westminster 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 |
$71,491±$4k 12% below VT |
$101,696±$21kHighest 25% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Dummerston 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 |
$273,800±$35k 14% below VT |
$335,300±$22kHighest 6% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,392±$126Highest 13% above VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$4,063 19% below VT |
$4,536Highest 10% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
44.1%±32.2 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Westminster and Dummerston 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
4.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3% VT: 73.2% |
88.2%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
92.9% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
21 minLowest 11% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
25.9%±10.3Lowest 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 | — | #53 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— | — |
| 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.