What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells River has the most renters (52.1% 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.

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

Measure	Wells River	Jay
People
Population	340Lowest	471Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+5.8% VT: +2.8%
Median age	42.7±12.7Lowest about the VT average	52.1±10.5Highest 21% above VT
	Jay and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%	14.2%±7.3Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Wells River and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.4%±3.5Highest VT: 21.4%	15.5%±6.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Wells River and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%	45.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.6%±3.1Lowest VT: 7%	1.9%±2.5Highest VT: 7%
	Jay and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$38,688±$5kLowest 52% below VT	$74,792±$25kHighest 8% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$170,800±$103kLowest 46% below VT	$234,200±$45kHighest 26% below VT
	Jay and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$336 27% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,154Highest 18% below VT	$3,588Lowest 29% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.6%±14.8Highest VT: 48.4%	40%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Wells River and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	38.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	8.7%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	97%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	2001Highest 25 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 43% above VT	40 minHighest 69% above VT
Work from home	5.2%±9.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	27.3%±13.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Jay and Wells River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District
High school in town	—	None in town
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.