Compare towns
Castleton vs Gray vs Ira vs Windham
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).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Windham has the most people working from home (19%).
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 | Gray | Ira | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
8,429 |
381Lowest |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$107,934±$14kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray 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. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$388,900±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Windham and Gray 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. |
$1,371±$89Highest about the U.S. average |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
| Gray and Windham 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 |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.