Compare towns
Bennington vs Old Bennington vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Peru has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Bennington | Old Bennington | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,245Highest |
182Lowest |
434 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 44.5±3Lowest 3% above VT |
45±21.3 4% above VT |
45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Peru and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$151,875±$83k 87% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$57 10% below VT |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
| Peru and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,331Lowest 14% below VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
1.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 22 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 27% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| 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.