What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Swanton has the most people working from home (7.4%).

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	Swanton
People
Population	381Lowest	2,670Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-2.4% VT: +2.8%
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%
	Ira and Swanton 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	$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT
	Ira and Swanton 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	$229,000±$15kLowest 28% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT	$4,370Highest 13% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%	36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Swanton 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%	20.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT	1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 20% above VT	21 minLowest 9% below VT
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	7.4%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9%
	Swanton 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.