Compare towns
Castleton vs Exeter vs Hyde Park 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 shortest commute (19 min average).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Hyde Park has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Hyde Park | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
16,151Highest |
513 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
42.6±10.1 10% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hyde Park 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% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41% 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%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$89,946±$10k 11% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$221,800±$57kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,306±$285 8% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,893 25% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±47.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±5.3 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #59 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.