What stands out worked out from the figures below

Waitsfield has the most renters (66.2% rent).

Jamaica has the most kids (13.7% under 18).

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	Waitsfield	Jamaica
People
Population	193Lowest	882Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.9% VT: +2.8%
Median age	74.8±13.4Highest 74% above VT	55.1±5.5Lowest 28% above VT
Kids under 18	0%±14.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	13.7%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Jamaica and Waitsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	71.5%±17.2Highest VT: 21.4%	30%±8.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	71.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	48.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±9.1Highest VT: 7%	3.9%±3.6Lowest VT: 7%
	Waitsfield and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$26,384±$5kLowest 68% below VT	$79,219±$19kHighest about the VT average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$453,100±$98kHighest 43% above VT	$347,800±$50kLowest 10% above VT
	Waitsfield and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$870±$464 29% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,688Lowest 7% below VT	$4,773Highest 5% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.1%±49.6Highest VT: 48.4%	7.1%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Waitsfield and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest VT: 10.1%	4.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	33.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	96.9%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1976Highest same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 40% below VT	23 minHighest 4% below VT
Work from home	31%±23.9Highest VT: 16.9%	23.2%±12.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Waitsfield and Jamaica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	West River Valley Union Education District #72A
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.