Compare towns
Castleton vs Exeter vs Putney 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).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Putney | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
16,151Highest |
2,622 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3 about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Exeter 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest 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% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putney and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Putney 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% 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. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$942±$52 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% 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% |
54.2%±19.4 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% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 27% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
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% |
16.9%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Putney 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 photos → | 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.