What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whitehall has the most kids (26.7% under 18).

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	Whitehall	Jay
People
Population	2,690Highest	471Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	36.8±4.8Lowest 5% below U.S.	52.1±10.5Highest 34% above U.S.
Kids under 18	26.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22%	14.2%±7.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Whitehall and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	45.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Whitehall and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$47,683±$8kLowest 41% below U.S.	$74,792±$25kHighest 7% below U.S.
	Jay and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$102,000±$9kLowest 69% below U.S.	$234,200±$45kHighest 30% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$975±$96 31% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,178Lowest about the U.S. average	$3,588Highest 15% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.6%±18.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	40%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whitehall and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	29.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	97%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	40 minHighest 50% above U.S.
Work from home	0.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
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

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.