Compare towns
Troy vs Webster vs Jay vs Orwell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Troy has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Webster has the highest household income ($107k).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.8%).
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 | Webster | Jay | Orwell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,749 |
2,227Highest |
471Lowest |
1,294 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±5.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S. |
47.5±7 22% above U.S. |
| Jay and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Webster and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orwell and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,938±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Webster and Troy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $233,200±$21kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$338,500±$30kHighest about the U.S. average |
$234,200±$45k 30% below U.S. |
$335,600±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $646±$323Lowest 54% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,105±$51 22% below U.S. |
| Webster and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,644 17% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$3,914 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±35.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orwell and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 50% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 7.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Troy School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None 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 |
U.S. 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.