What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sheffield has the most people working from home (8.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sheffield	Ira
People
Population	190Lowest	381Highest
Median age	32.5±2.3Lowest 25% below VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
Kids under 18	34.7%±13.7Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	13.2%±14Lowest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Ira and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±5.8Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Ira and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,795±$12kLowest 19% below VT	$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT
	Ira and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$122,700±$70kLowest 61% below VT	$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$563Highest about the VT average	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
	Sheffield and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,714Lowest 66% below VT	$4,146Highest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.4%±100 VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100 VT: 48.4%
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 12% below VT	28 minHighest 20% above VT
Work from home	8.6%±6.3Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Sheffield 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.