Compare towns
Castleton vs Sutton vs Plainfield 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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($130k).
Plainfield has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Sutton | Plainfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,453Highest |
2,239 |
1,314 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
48.1±4.1 24% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5 24% above U.S. |
54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Ira and Sutton 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% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Sutton 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% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%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% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$362,600±$16kHighest 9% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34k 4% below U.S. |
$272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Plainfield 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 |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$4,146 33% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.7%±21.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Sutton 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Kearsarge Regional High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— | — |
| 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.