Compare towns
Highgate vs Windham vs Ira
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 renters (19.3% rent).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Highgate | Windham | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,528Highest |
594 |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Highgate 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% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Windham 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% |
48.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest 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±$14k about the VT average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 16% above VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Windham and Highgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,500±$21k 11% below VT |
$353,900±$20kHighest 12% above VT |
$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
| 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 | $3,558Lowest 29% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.5%±11.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Windham and Ira 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% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 32% above VT |
27 minLowest 14% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.9%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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.