Compare towns
Ira vs Manchester vs Castleton
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 homeowners (90.7%).
Manchester has the most people working from home (23.1%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Manchester | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
4,486Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
54.5±6.3Highest 26% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Manchester 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% |
16.9%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Castleton and Manchester 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% |
25.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Manchester 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% |
47.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±3 VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$94,886±$23kHighest 17% above VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Manchester 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 |
$454,600±$47kHighest 44% above VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,057±$76 14% below VT |
$1,137±$195Highest 8% below VT |
| Castleton and Manchester 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 |
$5,923Highest 18% above VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.5%±13.9 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% VT: 10.1% |
16.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974Lowest 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
14 minLowest 39% below VT |
19 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #37 of 70 in VT | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.