Compare towns
Castleton vs Greenfield 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).
Greenfield has the most people working from home (11.9%).
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 | Greenfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
17,664Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
44.6±2.1 15% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±1.9 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Greenfield 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% |
39.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
$55,614±$7kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Ira 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±$16k 21% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Ira and Greenfield 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. |
$1,107±$67 22% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Greenfield 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 |
$4,769Highest 53% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.2%±7.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Greenfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 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 34% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Greenfield and Castleton 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 | #257 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Greenfield | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Greenfield High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| 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.