Compare towns
Ira vs Surry 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
Surry has the highest household income ($110k).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | Surry | Castleton | Sandgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,052 |
4,453Highest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% 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% |
20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Castleton 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% |
23.3%±7 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% |
31.7%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% |
6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 11% below U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Surry 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. |
$331,400±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$224,800±$71k 32% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,137±$195 20% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$6,384Highest 105% 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% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below 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% |
16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Surry 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 | — | — | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.