Compare towns
Highgate vs Ira vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highgate has the most kids (15.8% under 18).
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 | Highgate | Ira | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
381Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Highgate and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| 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+ | 19.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,017±$14kHighest about the VT average |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Highgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21kHighest 11% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Highgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $895±$691Lowest 27% below VT |
$942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
— |
| Ira and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,558 29% below VT |
$4,146Highest 18% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Highgate 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 | #43 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Missisquoi Valley School District #89 | — | — |
| High school in town | Missisquoi Valley Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.