Compare towns
Castleton vs Bethlehem 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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Bethlehem | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,537 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.6±8.5 30% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Bethlehem 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% |
28.2%±5.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1%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% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$85,029±$18kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem 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. |
$288,300±$22kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,174±$81Highest 17% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Bethlehem 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 |
$5,418Highest 74% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±18.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Bethlehem 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% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 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 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.2%±12.9Highest 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 | #34 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9 |
— |
| 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.