Compare towns
Sandgate vs Barre vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
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 | Sandgate | Barre | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 435 |
8,412Highest |
381Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 55.7±5.4Highest 29% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
54.1±5.5 26% above VT |
| Sandgate and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±7.5 VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Barre and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±11.3 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.8%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,167±$19k 15% below VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT |
| Ira and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,800±$31kLowest 39% below VT |
$210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,093±$58Highest 11% below VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,778Lowest 45% below VT |
$5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ira and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 17 yrs older than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1975Highest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 34.6%±32.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Sandgate and Barre 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.