Compare towns
Ira vs Brewer vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Brewer has the most renters (40.3% rent).
Castleton has the most affordable homes ($225k median).
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 | Brewer | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
9,652Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8 3% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ira and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below U.S. |
| Castleton 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 18% below U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Ira and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Castleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brewer and Castleton 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Brewer Public Schools | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.