Compare towns
Castleton vs Hooksett vs Sandgate 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).
Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Hooksett | Sandgate | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453 |
15,057Highest |
435 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.3±1.5 6% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Hooksett 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% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Sandgate 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% |
39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S. |
— | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167 about the U.S. average |
$6,554Highest 110% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Hooksett 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% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Hooksett 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Hooksett School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.