What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wilder has the most people working from home (12.6%).

Ira has the most homeowners (90.7%).

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	Wilder	Ira
People
Population	3,087Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+81.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.5±8.9Lowest 6% above VT	54.1±5.5Highest 26% above VT
	Ira and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9%	10.5%±4.7Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.3%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	28.9%±3.3Highest VT: 21.4%
	Ira and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.2%Highest VT: 43.8%	37.1%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±3.9Highest VT: 7%	3.4%±3.5Lowest VT: 7%
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,143±$9kHighest 7% below VT	$71,827±$5kLowest 12% below VT
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$273,200±$18kHighest 14% below VT	$272,900±$18kLowest 14% below VT
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,142±$451Highest 7% below VT	$942±$52Lowest 24% below VT
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,505Highest 9% above VT	$4,146Lowest 18% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.9%±17.2Highest VT: 48.4%	36.4%±100Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Wilder and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Lowest VT: 10.1%	14.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.9%Lowest VT: 73.2%	90.7%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 29% below VT	28 minHighest 20% above VT
Work from home	12.6%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9%	2.3%±2.2Lowest VT: 16.9%
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.