What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brattleboro has the most kids (19% 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	Brattleboro	Peru
People
Population	12,122Highest	434Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT
	Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±1.6Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average
	Peru and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,700Highest 13% above VT	$5,000Lowest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.8%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2%	79%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 19% below VT	28 minHighest 19% above VT
Work from home	17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Brattleboro and Peru 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	#33 of 70 in VT	—
School district	Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96	—
High school in town	Brattleboro Union High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	9.0	—
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.