Compare towns
Proctor vs Northfield 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 (21.8% under 18).
Northfield has the most people working from home (12.1%).
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 | Northfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,794 |
5,920Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-4.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 42.4±6.4 about the VT average |
36.4±4.1Lowest 16% below VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| 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%±4.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
14.6%±3.7 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Proctor and Northfield 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% |
20%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
34.6% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7 VT: 7% |
15.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,167±$12kHighest 9% below VT |
$71,768±$13kLowest 12% below VT |
$71,827±$5k 12% below VT |
| Proctor and Ira 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 |
$274,400±$21kHighest 13% below VT |
$272,900±$18k 14% below VT |
| Northfield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,029±$202Highest 17% below VT |
$1,018±$207 18% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Proctor and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,032Lowest 20% below VT |
$4,878Highest 3% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.3%±16.2 VT: 48.4% |
63.3%±17.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Northfield and Proctor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
12.5%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% VT: 73.2% |
73.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1956 20 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
27 min 16% above VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.6 VT: 16.9% |
12.1%±4.3Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Northfield 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 | — | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Quarry Valley Unified Union School District #70 | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | Proctor Junior/Senior High School | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
10.0Highest |
— |
| 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.