Compare towns
Castleton vs Danville vs Walden vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Danville has the most expensive homes ($276k median).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Danville | Walden | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,360 |
1,037 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+6.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+2.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
53.1±6 23% above VT |
48.8±3.2 13% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Danville 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 VT: 21.4% |
24.7%±3.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.8% VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7% |
4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$70,946±$7kLowest 13% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Walden 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 29% below VT |
$275,800±$43kHighest 13% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Danville and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— | $900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
$942±$52 24% below VT |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,358Highest 14% below VT |
$3,944 22% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
9.5%±11.4Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
84.1% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1976 same as VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
33 minHighest 39% above VT |
26 min 10% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
18.7%±9.5 VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Danville 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.