What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	Ira
People
Population	531Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.9% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.1±2.7Lowest 5% above VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
Kids under 18	20%±6Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Brookline and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Ira and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,833±$16kHighest about the VT average	$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT
	Brookline and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$290,700±$37kHighest 8% below VT	$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT
	Brookline and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Brookline and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975 1 yr older than VT	1975 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 21% above VT	28 minLowest 20% above VT
Work from home	20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.