What stands out worked out from the figures below

Belvidere has the most kids (22% 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	Belvidere	Peru
People
Population	422Lowest	434Highest
Median age	40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT
	Peru and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22%±4Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7%
	Peru and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,563±$18kLowest about the VT average	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
	Peru and Belvidere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$239,200±$51kLowest 24% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT	$1,271±$820Lowest about the VT average
	Belvidere and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,908Lowest 22% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Belvidere and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.5%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT	1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 60% above VT	28 minLowest 19% above VT
Work from home	9.4%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Peru and Belvidere 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.