Compare towns
Ira vs Barre vs West Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
West Haven has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
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 | Ira | Barre | West Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381 |
8,412Highest |
234Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
54±10.5 25% above VT |
| Ira and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±13.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
| West Haven and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1% VT: 43.8% |
30.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
| West Haven and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$245,000±$34k 23% below VT |
| Ira and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Lowest 18% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,485 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
25 min 8% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Barre and West Haven 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.