What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Peru has the highest household income ($152k).

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	Bellows Falls	Peru
People
Population	2,891Highest	434Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT
	Peru and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	23.7%±5.7Highest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Bellows Falls and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Bellows Falls and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,038±$109Lowest 16% below VT	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average
	Peru and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,448Lowest 12% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Bellows Falls and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	25.1%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%	79%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 14% below VT	28 minHighest 19% above VT
Work from home	6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Peru and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.