Compare towns
Braintree vs Ira vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Braintree has the highest household income ($80k).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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.
| Measure | Braintree | Ira | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Highest |
381Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 58.4±2.4Highest 35% above VT |
54.1±5.5Lowest 26% above VT |
55.7±5.4 29% above VT |
| Braintree and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Sandgate and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±3.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,803±$5kHighest about the VT average |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $217,700±$28k 31% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $840±$405Lowest 32% below VT |
$942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
— |
| Ira and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,908 22% below VT |
$4,146Highest 18% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±29.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Braintree and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 19%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.