Compare towns
Troy vs Barre vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Troy | Barre | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,749 |
8,412Highest |
471Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.5±5.7 3% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT |
| Jay and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.2%±7.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
45.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Barre and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,938±$11kHighest 8% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$74,792±$25k 8% below VT |
| Troy and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,200±$21k 26% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$234,200±$45kHighest 26% below VT |
| Jay and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $646±$323Lowest 48% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,644 28% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,588Lowest 29% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±26.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Jay and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
97%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
40 minHighest 69% above VT |
| Work from home | 7.8%±2.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Jay and Barre 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Troy School District | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.