Compare towns
Barre vs Peru vs Ripton vs St. Johnsbury
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 renters (49.6% rent).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
St. Johnsbury has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | St. Johnsbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
7,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-3.1% 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 |
42.8±3.8 about the VT average |
| 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%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
21%±2.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.1%±3.6 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% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
30.3%Lowest 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% |
5.6%±2.2 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7k 19% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$57,738±$9kLowest 29% below 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±$15k 34% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$177,700±$17kLowest 44% below 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±$58 11% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— | $914±$44Lowest 26% below VT |
| 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 |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$3,916Lowest 22% below VT |
| 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% |
48%±11 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and St. Johnsbury 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% |
16.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
59.6% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1944Lowest 32 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 |
20 min 17% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.6%±4.8Highest VT: 16.9% |
| St. Johnsbury and Ripton 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 | — | — | #60 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 | 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.