Compare towns
Castleton vs Reading vs Cornish 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 youngest population (median age 38.3).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Cornish has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Reading | Cornish | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
699 |
1,816 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Cornish 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Reading 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% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Reading 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Reading and Cornish 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. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Castleton 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 |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Cornish 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Cornish School District | — |
| High school in town | None 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.