Compare towns
Ira vs Topsham vs Clarendon
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 most expensive homes ($273k median).
Topsham has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Clarendon has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Topsham | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
999 |
2,460Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.2%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
50.1±5.9Lowest 16% above VT |
52.3±4.1 21% above VT |
| Ira and Clarendon 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% |
18%±3.4 VT: 17.9% |
18.6%±5.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Clarendon and Topsham 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% |
23.2%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.4%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
28.1% VT: 43.8% |
25.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
1.7%±1.3 VT: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$72,308±$60kHighest 11% below VT |
$59,609±$12kLowest 27% below VT |
| Topsham and Ira 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 |
$222,900±$56k 30% below VT |
$220,900±$32kLowest 30% below VT |
| Ira and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52 24% below VT |
$908±$398Lowest 26% below VT |
$1,096±$305Highest 11% below VT |
| Clarendon and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Highest 18% below VT |
$4,006 21% below VT |
$3,740Lowest 26% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
48.4%±27.1 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Clarendon 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% |
18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.3% VT: 73.2% |
84.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1971Lowest 5 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 20% above VT |
35 minHighest 49% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
14.2%±5.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
9.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Topsham and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Waits River Union High District #36 | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mill River Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.