Compare towns
Ira vs Orwell vs Westmore
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 affordable homes ($273k median).
Orwell has the youngest population (median age 47.5).
Westmore has the highest household income ($87k).
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 | Orwell | Westmore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,294Highest |
465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.5±7Lowest 10% above VT |
51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
| Ira and Westmore 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% |
21.8%±5.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Orwell and Westmore 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% |
24%±3.1Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
22.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Orwell 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 |
$70,417±$22kLowest 13% below VT |
$87,188±$11kHighest 7% above VT |
| Westmore 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±$18kLowest 14% below VT |
$335,600±$25kHighest 6% above VT |
$330,000±$137k 4% above VT |
| Orwell and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,105±$51Highest 10% below VT |
$1,050±$820 15% below VT |
| Orwell and Westmore 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 |
$3,914Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,357Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
62.1%±35.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
35%±94.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Orwell 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% |
10.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
11.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
87.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
27 minLowest 15% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±7.2 VT: 16.9% |
14%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westmore and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| 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 |
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.