What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).

Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).

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	Pittsfield	Ira
People
Population	391Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.8±3.5Lowest 25% above VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
	Ira and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.6%±8.4Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Pittsfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.4%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Pittsfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Ira and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,852±$12kLowest 19% below VT	$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT
	Ira and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$313,300±$73kHighest about the VT average	$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT
	Pittsfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,035±$140Highest 16% below VT	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
	Pittsfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,181Highest about the VT average	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 1 yr newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 18% below VT	28 minHighest 20% above VT
Work from home	28.1%±24.1Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Pittsfield 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.