Compare towns
Bennington vs Peru vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most kids (26% under 18).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,588Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,875±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$400,000±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
— |
| Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,944Highest 91% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.