Compare towns
Ira vs Ripton vs Brookline 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 oldest population (median age 54.1).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
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 | Ripton | Brookline | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
508 |
531 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.9% VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
38.3±4.3Lowest 11% below VT |
| Ira and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
20%±6Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookline and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Ira 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% |
48%Highest VT: 43.8% |
41.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.9% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8 VT: 7% |
| Ripton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15kHighest 39% above VT |
$80,833±$16k about the VT average |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61kHighest 25% above VT |
$290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
— | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
47.8%±94.7 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Castleton and Ripton 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
84.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
28 minHighest 21% above VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline and Ripton 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 | — | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.