Compare towns
Ira vs Needham vs Castleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 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 | Needham | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
32,459Highest |
4,453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6 11% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.