What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).

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	Stratton
People
Population	381Lowest	532Highest
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%
	Ira and Stratton 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	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average
	Stratton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT	$4,750Highest 6% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Stratton 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%	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 20% above VT	33 minHighest 39% above VT
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	3.3%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9%
	Stratton 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.