Compare towns
Brookline vs Castleton vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
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 | Brookline | Castleton | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Highest |
4,453 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #23 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.