Compare towns
Brookfield vs Castleton vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Brookfield | Castleton | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486 |
4,453Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 21% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Castleton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.