What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Ryegate has the most people working from home (8.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ira	Ryegate
People
Population	381Lowest	1,059Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-0.8% VT: +2.8%
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	41.2±2.6Lowest 4% below VT
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	23.2%±4.6Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	22.1%±1.5Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	29.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%	2.4%±1.4Lowest VT: 7%
	Ira and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT	$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below VT
	Ira and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT	$219,300±$32kLowest 31% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Highest 24% below VT	$908±$236Lowest 26% below VT
	Ira and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Highest 18% below VT	$3,472Lowest 31% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	55.9%±29.7Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ryegate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	84.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT	1949Lowest 27 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 20% above VT	28 minLowest 18% above VT
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	8.2%±3.7Highest VT: 16.9%
	Ryegate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.