Compare towns
Ira vs Manchester vs Sandgate
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 youngest population (median age 54.1).
Manchester has the most expensive homes ($455k median).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
4,486Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Lowest 26% above VT |
54.5±6.3 26% above VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate and Manchester 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%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Manchester and Sandgate 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%±4.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Sandgate 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% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
5.8%±3Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Manchester 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±$5k 12% below VT |
$94,886±$23kHighest 17% above VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Manchester 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±$18k 14% below VT |
$454,600±$47kHighest 44% above VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,057±$76Highest 14% below VT |
— |
| Manchester and Ira 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 |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
56.5%±13.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Manchester and Ira 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% |
9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1959Lowest 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
14 minLowest 39% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Manchester 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 | — | #37 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.