Compare towns
Proctor vs Ira vs Sheldon vs Wolcott
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 shortest commute (22 min average).
Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).
Sheldon has the highest household income ($79k).
Wolcott has the most renters (20.5% rent).
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 | Ira | Sheldon | Wolcott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,794 |
381Lowest |
2,267Highest |
1,507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
-0.4% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% below VT |
42.4±5.9 about the VT average |
| Ira and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
23.7%±3.6Highest VT: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.5 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
12.6%±2.3 VT: 21.4% |
11.1%±2.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
14.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
31.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
2%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Proctor and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12k 9% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
$78,533±$25kHighest 3% below VT |
$70,259±$10kLowest 13% below VT |
| Sheldon and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,900±$17kLowest 34% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$272,400±$61k 14% below VT |
$221,300±$23k 30% below VT |
| Ira and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202 17% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
$1,286±$379Highest 4% above VT |
$1,059±$118 14% below VT |
| Sheldon and Wolcott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032 20% below VT |
$4,146Highest 18% below VT |
$3,578Lowest 29% below VT |
$3,930 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
75.7%±21.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
5.1%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.3% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
89% VT: 73.2% |
79.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1975 1 yr older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1983 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
25 min 7% above VT |
27 min 13% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13%±3.7 VT: 16.9% |
13.9%±4.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Wolcott and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Wolcott School District |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | — | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.