Compare towns
Ira vs Castleton vs Sandgate vs Clarendon
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).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Sandgate | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
4,453Highest |
435 |
2,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
52.3±4.1 21% 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% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±5.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$73,854±$23kHighest 9% below VT |
$69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
| 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 14% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$220,900±$32k 30% below VT |
| Ira and Castleton 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 |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
— | $1,096±$305 11% below VT |
| Castleton and Clarendon 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 |
$3,167 37% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$3,740 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Clarendon 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Clarendon 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 | — | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Mill River Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.4 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.