What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).

Ludlow has the most people working from home (9.8%).

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	Ludlow
People
Population	381Lowest	444Highest
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S.	46.1±5.8Lowest 19% above U.S.
	Ira and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	16.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Ira and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,827±$5kHighest 11% below U.S.	$62,500±$21kLowest 23% below U.S.
	Ira and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S.	$133,900±$56kLowest 60% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S.	$988±$111Highest 30% below U.S.
	Ludlow and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Highest 33% above U.S.	$1,655Lowest 47% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.5%±94.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ludlow and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	90.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	9.8%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Ludlow and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
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U.S. 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.