Compare towns
Castleton vs Durham 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 kids (18.8% under 18).
Durham has the most people working from home (15.6%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
10,681Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Ira 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% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Durham 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Durham 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% |
12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%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 min 27% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3Highest 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| High school 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.