What stands out worked out from the figures below

Vergennes has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Vergennes	Jay
People
Population	2,565Highest	471Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8%	+5.8%Highest VT: +2.8%
Median age	46.6±2.1Lowest 8% above VT	52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT
	Jay and Vergennes are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.2%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9%	14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Vergennes and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4%	15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Vergennes and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%	45.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	1.9%±2.5Lowest VT: 7%
	Vergennes and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,587±$13kHighest 6% below VT	$74,792±$25kLowest 8% below VT
	Vergennes and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,000±$24kHighest about the VT average	$234,200±$45kLowest 26% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,000±$267 19% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,578Highest 11% above VT	$3,588Lowest 29% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.9%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4%	40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Vergennes and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.6%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	97%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 9 yrs older than VT	2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 9% below VT	40 minHighest 69% above VT
Work from home	16%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Jay and Vergennes 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	#22 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54	Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District
High school in town	Vergennes Union High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	7.7	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.