Compare towns
Ira vs Sunapee vs Castleton
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 homeowners (90.7%).
Sunapee has the most people working from home (9.5%).
Castleton has the most kids (18.8% 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.
| Measure | Ira | Sunapee | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
3,416 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Sunapee and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
| Sunapee 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±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$393,000±$51kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
| Sunapee and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sunapee and Castleton 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 | — | #14 of 120 in NH | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Sunapee School District | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.