Compare towns
Stannard vs Calais vs Jay vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stannard has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Calais has the most expensive homes ($390k median).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Walden has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Stannard | Calais | Jay | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 228Lowest |
1,713Highest |
471 |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.4% VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 48.3±14.6 12% above VT |
42±8.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
| Jay and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±9.1Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Calais and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.9%±8.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.6%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Stannard and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±6.2Lowest VT: 7% |
7.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Calais and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,979±$30kLowest 18% below VT |
$100,625±$27kHighest 24% above VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
$88,000±$15k 8% above VT |
| Calais and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $216,200±$44kLowest 32% below VT |
$390,300±$36kHighest 23% above VT |
$234,200±$45k 26% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,408±$392Highest 14% above VT |
— | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Calais and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,183 17% below VT |
$6,586Highest 31% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49%±38.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Walden and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
92.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97% VT: 73.2% |
93.8% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
31 min 32% above VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 8.6%±5.5Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.4%±7.1 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.