Compare towns
Castleton vs Amherst 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
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Castleton | Amherst | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
130,546Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.1±0.8 about the U.S. average |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$93,483±$2kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$311,600±$7kHighest 6% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,393±$45Highest about the U.S. average |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,935Highest 90% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±4.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #72 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.