Compare towns
Ira vs Swanton vs Castleton vs Westmore
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Swanton has the most renters (35.2% rent).
Castleton has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Westmore has the most people working from home (14%).
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 | Swanton | Castleton | Westmore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381Lowest |
2,670 |
4,453Highest |
465 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.4%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT |
38.3±4.3 11% below VT |
51.5±11.5 19% above VT |
| Ira and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
18.8%±6.4 VT: 17.9% |
21.5%±6.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Swanton and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±4.6 VT: 21.4% |
28%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Westmore are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% VT: 43.8% |
20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
32.2% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7% |
19.3%±1.8Highest VT: 7% |
2.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT |
$73,854±$23k 9% below VT |
$87,188±$11kHighest 7% above VT |
| Westmore 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 14% below VT |
$229,000±$15k 28% below VT |
$224,800±$71kLowest 29% below VT |
$330,000±$137kHighest 4% above VT |
| Westmore and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average |
$1,137±$195 8% below VT |
$1,050±$820 15% below VT |
| Swanton and Castleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 18% below VT |
$4,370 13% below VT |
$3,167Lowest 37% below VT |
$5,357Highest 6% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±21.6 VT: 48.4% |
67.7%±21.9Highest VT: 48.4% |
35%±94.2Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| 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% VT: 10.1% |
20.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5% VT: 10.1% |
11.6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
21 min 9% below VT |
19 minLowest 17% below VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
7.4%±4.8 VT: 16.9% |
6.2%±3.9 VT: 16.9% |
14%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westmore and Swanton 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 |
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.