Compare towns
Ira vs Castleton 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
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Brookfield has the highest household income ($99k).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Castleton | Brookfield | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
4,453Highest |
1,486 |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-3.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
47±5.9 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%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
29.7%±6.4Highest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 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% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$98,500±$23kHighest 21% above VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Brookfield and Castleton 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 |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$339,300±$15kHighest 7% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
$975±$306 21% below VT |
— |
| Castleton and Brookfield 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 |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$4,560Highest 10% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton 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% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9% VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs 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 |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
37 minHighest 55% above VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #39 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.