Compare towns
Ira vs Brookfield vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k 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 | Brookfield | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,486Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
47±5.9Lowest 9% 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 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Sandgate 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% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Brookfield 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%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield 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±$18k 14% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$975±$306Highest 21% below VT |
— |
| Brookfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Brookfield 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% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27.3%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.