Compare towns
Castleton vs Ossipee 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).
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).
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 | Ossipee | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,453 |
4,521Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee and Castleton 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% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Ossipee 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 32% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Castleton 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% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% 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. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Castleton and Ossipee 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.