Compare towns
Ira vs West Bath 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%).
West Bath has the most people working from home (17.1%).
Castleton has the youngest population (median age 38.3).
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 | West Bath | Castleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 381Lowest |
1,863 |
4,453Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
38.3±4.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| West Bath 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% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Castleton and West Bath 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath 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% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
19.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$73,854±$23k 9% below U.S. |
| West Bath 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. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$224,800±$71kLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
$1,137±$195Highest 20% below U.S. |
| Castleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146Highest 33% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
$3,167Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.7%±21.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Castleton and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #39 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | West Bath Public Schools | Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.