Compare towns
Castleton vs Eden vs Ira vs Benson
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).
Eden has the highest household income ($97k).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Benson has the most people working from home (18.6%).
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 | Eden | Ira | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
7,546Highest |
381Lowest |
784 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.6±5.3 10% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
51.9±9.4 33% above U.S. |
| Ira and Benson 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% |
22.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Eden 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% |
19.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Benson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
34.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7%±5.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$97,262±$11kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$78,625±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Eden and Benson 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. |
$263,100±$28k 21% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$242,000±$26k 27% below U.S. |
| Ira and Eden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,035±$427 27% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,113±$170 21% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Benson 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 |
$5,680Highest 82% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
$4,125 32% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±26.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.4%±35.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Eden 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% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | #147 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | EDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | None in town | EDEN MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— | — |
| 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.