Compare towns
Ira vs Salem vs Castleton vs Sandgate
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 most expensive homes ($273k median).
Salem has the highest household income ($83k).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
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 | Salem | Castleton | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
2,611 |
4,453Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
47.5±4.2 22% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$83,398±$12kHighest 3% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Salem and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$196,000±$26k 41% below U.S. |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Ira and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$948±$40 33% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Castleton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
$3,167 about the U.S. average |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±12.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Salem 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 | — | #376 of 484 in NY | #39 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.