Compare towns
Proctor vs Bristol vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Proctor has the most kids (17.2% under 18).
Bristol has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
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 | Proctor | Bristol | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,586 |
3,778Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.9% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±8.9Lowest 10% above VT |
47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5Highest VT: 17.9% |
12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±2.6 VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
41.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.9 VT: 7% |
5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,060±$12kHighest 8% below VT |
$74,620±$8k 8% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| Proctor and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,000±$20kLowest 35% below VT |
$337,300±$46kHighest 7% above VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,059±$200 14% below VT |
$1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Bristol and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
$5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.4%±15.6 VT: 48.4% |
47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
10.1% VT: 10.1% |
14.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% VT: 73.2% |
71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1976Highest same as VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 5% below VT |
25 min 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 10%±5 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±6.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Bristol and Proctor 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 | — | #31 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.