What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Belvidere has the most people working from home (9.4%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ira	Belvidere
People
Population	381Lowest	422Highest
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	22%±4Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%	1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Ira and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT	$81,563±$18kHighest about the VT average
	Belvidere 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	$239,200±$51kLowest 24% below VT
	Ira and Belvidere 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	$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT
	Belvidere and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Highest 18% below VT	$3,908Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Belvidere and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%	5.5%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	86.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 20% above VT	38 minHighest 60% above VT
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	9.4%±7.6Highest VT: 16.9%
	Belvidere and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.