What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanton has the most people working from home (7.4%).

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	Swanton	Ira
People
Population	2,670Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.4% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	37.8±4.7Lowest 12% below VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
Kids under 18	24.3%±8.1Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	19.3%±2.7Lowest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.2%Lowest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.7Lowest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Ira and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,607±$27kLowest 18% below VT	$71,827±$5kHighest 12% below VT
	Ira and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$229,000±$15kLowest 28% below VT	$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,238±$103Highest about the VT average	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,370Highest 13% below VT	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	36.1%±21.6Lowest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Highest VT: 48.4%
	Ira and Swanton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.8%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 24 yrs older than VT	1975Highest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 9% below VT	28 minHighest 20% above VT
Work from home	7.4%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Swanton and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.