Compare towns
Topsham vs Ira vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the most kids (18% under 18).
Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k median).
Walden has the most people working from home (21.4%).
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 | Topsham | Ira | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 999 |
381Lowest |
1,037Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
— | +2.2% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 50.1±5.9 16% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
48.8±3.2Lowest 13% above VT |
| Ira and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
14.3%±3.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ira and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.1% VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.3Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5 VT: 7% |
4%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Walden and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,308±$60k 11% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
$88,000±$15kHighest 8% above VT |
| Walden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,900±$56kLowest 30% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
$238,900±$23k 25% below VT |
| Ira and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $908±$398 26% below VT |
$942±$52Highest 24% below VT |
$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT |
| Ira and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,006 21% below VT |
$4,146Highest 18% below VT |
$3,944Lowest 22% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 91.9%±28.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±86.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 49% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
26 minLowest 10% above VT |
| Work from home | 14.2%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Walden and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Waits River Union High District #36 | — | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.