Compare towns
Castleton vs Ashburnham 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Ashburnham has the most people working from home (16%).
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 | Ashburnham | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
6,415Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.7±6.3 5% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ashburnham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%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% |
5.6%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$118,809±$11kHighest 47% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$390,700±$34kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,807±$1kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Ashburnham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$6,046Highest 94% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ashburnham and Castleton 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 21% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashburnham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #178 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Ashburnham-Westminster | — |
| 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.