Compare towns
Castleton vs Ira vs Waltham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Ira | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
381Lowest |
452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
60.8±7.3Highest 41% above VT |
| Waltham 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 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±7.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
45.4%±3.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
39%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$97,500±$14kHighest 20% above VT |
| Waltham and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$329,700±$51kHighest 4% above VT |
| Waltham and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,096±$113 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
$5,714Highest 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
86.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 17% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
28 min 18% above VT |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.