Compare towns
Barre vs Peru vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Barre | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Barre and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— |
| Peru and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.