The Town FilesJay, Vermont
Town in Orleans County · population 551 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $234,200
- Household income
- $74,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 91 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 52.1
Jay is a town of 551 people in Orleans County, Vermont. The median home is worth $234,200, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Vermont towns, quieter than 77% of Vermont towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Vermont towns.
How Jay ranks
Percentile among Vermont towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Vermont towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Jay is worth $234,200, below the typical Vermont town ($278,700). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $74,792, which is more affordable than 84% of Vermont towns. 97.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jay | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,200 | $278,700 |
| Median rent | — | $1,117 |
| Median household income | $74,792 | $76,895 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.6× |
| Homeownership | 97.0% | 81.6% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1976 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 70.5% | — |
Who lives in Jay
| People | Jay | Typical Vermont town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 | 45.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.5% | 22.2% |
| Under 18 | 14.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 38.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 27.3% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 39.6 min | 25.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 89.3% |
Weather in Jay
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 90.7 inches of snow (typical Vermont town: 84.3 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Vermont town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 20, 1962 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 1962.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 3, 2007.
Severe weather in Orleans County since 1996
Orleans County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2024 | Flood | DR-4826: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 20, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4810: Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 8, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3609: Tropical Depression Debby |
| April 19, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4770: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 2, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4762: Severe Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Orleans County
Orleans County had 10,532 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,363 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Jay itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Jay
1 public school with 87 students, about 9.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School | PK-6 | 87 | 9.7 |
Towns near Jay
- Richford, VT4.5 mi · 2,346 people · home $176,600
- Westfield, VT5.2 mi · 534 people · home $301,400
- North Troy, VT5.8 mi · 631 people · home $121,100
- Troy, VT6.2 mi · 1,722 people · home $233,200
- Montgomery, VT8.2 mi · 1,184 people · home $323,200
- Richford, VT8.3 mi · 1,304 people · home $165,000
- Newport, VT10.3 mi · 1,526 people · home $250,600
- Lowell, VT11.5 mi · 887 people · home $183,400
Jay questions
Is Jay, Vermont a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jay scores better for retirees than 22% of Vermont towns and quieter than 77%. 15.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.1).
How much does a house cost in Jay?
The median owner-occupied home in Jay is valued at $234,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,792, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Jay?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.8 inches of precipitation a year and 90.7 inches of snow.
Does Jay get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Jay since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 20, 1962. The typical Vermont town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)