What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Hancock has the most people working from home (11.7%).

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	Hancock
People
Population	381Lowest	435Highest
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	33.8±11.6Lowest 22% below VT
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	17.2%±5.8Highest VT: 17.9%
	Hancock and Ira 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%	19.8%±3.6Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	34.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7%	3.7%±3.6Highest VT: 7%
	Hancock and Ira 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	$76,250±$34kHighest 6% below VT
	Hancock 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	$187,900±$11kLowest 41% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Highest 24% below VT	$939±$19Lowest 24% below VT
	Ira and Hancock 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	$3,511Lowest 30% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%	3.5%±16.9Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Hancock 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%	5.6%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	59.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT	1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 20% above VT	28 minLowest 17% above VT
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	11.7%±5Highest VT: 16.9%
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.