What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stratton has the most kids (28% under 18).

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.

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

Measure	Stratton	Ira
People
Population	532Highest	381Lowest
Median age	31.5±4.1Lowest 27% below VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
Kids under 18	28%±7.4Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	11.7%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±2.8Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Ira and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$122,708±$33kHighest 51% above VT	$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$50kHighest 26% above VT	$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,208±$979Highest about the VT average	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
	Stratton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,750Highest 6% below VT	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	12%±69.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Stratton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 12 yrs newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 39% above VT	28 minLowest 20% above VT
Work from home	3.3%±3.5Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Stratton 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.