Jay is one of the northernmost

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

s in Orleans County,

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

, United States, located on the Canada–US border. The population was 551 at the 2020 census. Jay is named for

John Jay John Jay (December 12, 1745 – May 17, 1829) was an American statesman, patriot, diplomat, abolitionist, signatory of the Treaty of Paris, and a Founding Father of the United States. He served as the second governor of New York and the first ...

, one of the

Founding Fathers of the United States The Founding Fathers of the United States, known simply as the Founding Fathers or Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American Revolution, American revolutionary leaders who United Colonies, united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the Am ...

. The US Census Bureau estimated that the town's population had increased by 13.1% between 2000–2005, the seventh largest increase in the state. Jay is also home to the Jay Challenge, a three-part stage-race, typically held in July.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.12%) is water. The highest point in town is North Jay Peak at above sea level. Despite their containing the name "Jay", other peaks with this name lie mostly in adjacent Westfield, including Jay Peak itself and

Jay Peak Resort Jay Peak Resort is an American ski resort located on Jay Peak in the Green Mountains, between the Village of Jay and Montgomery Center, Vermont. Its vertical drop of is the eighth largest in New England and the fifth largest in Vermont. Alth ...

. The local Jay Branch Brook flows into the

Missisquoi River The Missisquoi River is a transboundary river of the east shore of Lake Champlain (via Missisquoi Bay), approximately long, in northern Vermont in the United States and southern Quebec in Canada. It drains a rural area of the northern Green Mount ...

Climate

History

One November 10, 1943, a

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

training plane crashed into the west side of the mountain near the top during a blinding snowfall killing one crew member.

Government

* Selectmen ** Michael Brady (2009) ** Mark Burroughs-Biron (2010) * Listers ** Arlene Bosco ** Ron Kapeluck ** Fred Cushing * Tax Collector – Cindy Vincent * Auditor – Edna Cushing * Town Agent and Grand Juror – Roger Morin * School Board ** Sally Rivard (2010) ** Peter Fina (2010)

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 595 people, 276 households, and 215 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 15.4 people per square mile (5.9/km²). There were 685 housing units at an average density of 20.2 per square mile (7.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.8% Native American, 0.6%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, and 1.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.6% of the population. There were 276 households, out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.9% had a female householder living alone, and 26.3% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.80. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 20 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.8 males. For every 100 females, there were 109 males. The median income for a household in the town was $43,958, and the median income for a family was $48,594. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $20,058. About 7.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

The Jay Challenge

The Jay Challenge is a combination adventure race and

triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...

that occurs yearly in and around Jay. It is a three-day event comprising a

kayak A kayak is a small, narrow watercraft which is typically propelled by means of a double-bladed paddle. The word kayak originates from the Greenlandic word ''qajaq'' (). The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each se ...

trip from the northern to southern end of

Lake Memphremagog Lake Memphremagog (; french: Lac Memphrémagog) is a fresh water glacial lake located between Newport, Vermont, United States and Magog, Quebec, Canada. The lake spans both Quebec and Vermont, but is mostly in Quebec. Most of the watershed that ...

, a run over rough terrain and of mountain biking. It claims to be "the largest offroad stage race in North America", with 700-1000 racers each year. There is no cash prize and no sponsor. The course record was 19 hours and 20 minutes. In 2007, the Jay Challenge was reduced to the running portion, and temporarily re-titled "The Ultimate XC Challenge." There were participants from 34 US states and 3 countries. In 2008, the Ultimate XC Series expanded to three ultra-running races which included

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

in June, Jay, Vermont in July, and

Moab, Utah Moab () is the largest city and county seat of Grand County in eastern Utah in the western United States, known for its dramatic scenery. The population was 5,366 at the 2020 census. Moab attracts many tourists annually, mostly visitors to th ...

in November. The last running of the Jay Challenge was in 2008. The Vermont edition of this race series is a "marathon" and an "half-marathon." The course is almost completely on private property and almost 100% trails. The trails are rugged and muddy and include a variety of brook running, river crossings, steep hills, technical descents, bushwacking, and a sand pit. The race is limited to 400 for the full race and 200 for the half. Most runners who complete the full race take 2-3 times as long as their best times for a road marathon.

References

External links

Town websiteOfficial site for the Jay Challenge''Boston Globe'' article
{{authority control Towns in Vermont

Towns in Orleans County, Vermont