What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

Williamstown has the most people working from home (13.9%).

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	Williamstown
People
Population	381Lowest	3,579Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+3.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT	42±5Lowest about the VT average
Kids under 18	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%	19.9%±5.2Highest VT: 17.9%
	Williamstown and Ira 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%	17%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%	17.6%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7%	4.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7%
	Williamstown and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT	$94,418±$10kHighest 16% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT	$234,900±$24kLowest 26% below VT
	Ira and Williamstown 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	$1,659±$189Highest 34% above VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,146Highest 18% below VT	$3,841Lowest 24% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%	83.7%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Williamstown 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 VT: 10.1%	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7% VT: 73.2%	90.7% VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 20% above VT	23 minLowest about the VT average
Work from home	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.9%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#47 of 70 in VT
School district	—	Paine Mountain Union School District #68
High school in town	—	Williamstown Middle/High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	9.5
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.