Compare towns
Sheldon vs Jay vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k 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.
| Measure | Sheldon | Jay | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,267Highest |
471Lowest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±2.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3 VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Sheldon and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,533±$25k 3% below VT |
$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
| Windham and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,286±$379 4% above VT |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,588 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89% VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 8 yrs newer than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.