Compare towns
Castleton vs Derry vs Williston 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).
Derry has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
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 | Derry | Williston | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
34,116Highest |
10,144 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.3±1.6 4% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Derry and Williston 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% |
15.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%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% |
6.1%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$108,944±$7kHighest 35% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Derry and Williston 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. |
$432,000±$17k 30% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Williston and Derry 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. |
$1,547±$138 9% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,103Highest 160% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.6%±9 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Derry 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% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Pinkerton Academy | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.