Compare towns
West Haven vs Wells vs Ira
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Haven has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Wells has the most people working from home (11.3%).
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 | West Haven | Wells | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 234Lowest |
1,148Highest |
381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.6% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 54±10.5 25% above VT |
50.7±5.2Lowest 18% above VT |
54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT |
| Ira and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±13.3Highest VT: 17.9% |
15.1%±4.2 VT: 17.9% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| West Haven and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±4.7Highest VT: 21.4% |
24.5%±2.2Lowest VT: 21.4% |
28.9%±3.3 VT: 21.4% |
| West Haven and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6% VT: 43.8% |
29.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
37.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.4%±4.4Lowest VT: 7% |
3%±2.1 VT: 7% |
3.4%±3.5Highest VT: 7% |
| Ira and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $85,250±$29kHighest 5% above VT |
$75,417±$11k 7% below VT |
$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT |
| West Haven and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,000±$34k 23% below VT |
$243,000±$42kLowest 23% below VT |
$272,900±$18kHighest 14% below VT |
| Ira and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,313±$282Highest 6% above VT |
$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Highest 11% below VT |
$3,308Lowest 34% below VT |
$4,146 18% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.5%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.4%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Wells and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
14.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.4%Highest VT: 73.2% |
90.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% above VT |
48 minHighest 102% above VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
| Work from home | 10.4%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
11.3%±6.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Wells and West Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.