Compare towns
Ira vs Hardwick vs Castleton 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).
Hardwick has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Hardwick | Castleton | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
2,965 |
4,453Highest |
2,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5% VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.1±7.4 9% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
52.3±4.1 21% above VT |
| Ira and Clarendon 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% |
15.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest 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% |
27%±5.9 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest 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% |
33.7% VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.4 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$92,297±$17kHighest 14% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
| Hardwick 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±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$184,700±$39kLowest 42% below VT |
$224,800±$71k 29% 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±$52 24% below VT |
$875±$406Lowest 29% 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 | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,351Highest 14% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$3,740 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
48.6%±41.3 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Hardwick 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% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
84.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1962Lowest 14 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1971 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
29 minHighest 23% above VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
11.8%±6Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Hardwick 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 | — | #68 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mountain View Union Elementary School District #94 · Hazen Union High School District #26 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | Hazen Union High School | None in town | Mill River Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.6Lowest |
— | 9.4Highest |
| 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.