Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Peru vs Ripton vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most renters (49.3% rent).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Peru | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,891 |
434Lowest |
508 |
2,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-5.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
| Westminster and Ripton 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% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7 VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$71,491±$4k 12% 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 | $195,600±$35kLowest 38% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$273,800±$35k 14% 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 | $1,038±$109 16% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— | $916±$126Lowest 26% below VT |
| Peru and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448 12% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 14% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.