Compare towns
Ira vs Middlesex vs Northfield vs Sandgate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the highest household income ($110k).
Northfield has the most renters (26.5% rent).
Sandgate has the most affordable homes ($194k median).
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 | Middlesex | Northfield | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,943 |
5,920Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
44.4±3.9 3% above VT |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
| Sandgate 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% |
21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Northfield 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% |
20.6%±3.7 VT: 21.4% |
20%±3.8Lowest 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
34.6%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
5.2%±2.6 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$109,632±$13kHighest 35% above VT |
$71,768±$13k 12% below VT |
$69,167±$19kLowest 15% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$376,300±$40kHighest 19% above VT |
$274,400±$21k 13% below VT |
$193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
— |
| Middlesex and Northfield 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 |
$6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$4,878 3% below VT |
$2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Ira 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% |
3.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
9.7% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
94.3% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1956Lowest 20 yrs older than VT |
1959 17 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
27 min 17% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
27 minLowest 16% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.4%±10.7 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3 VT: 16.9% |
34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Middlesex 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 | — | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.0 |
— |
| 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.