Compare towns
Bristol vs Peru vs Windham vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most renters (28.7% rent).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
New Haven has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Bristol | Peru | Windham | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,778Highest |
434Lowest |
594 |
1,792 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -2.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 47.9±4.8 11% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
48±3.9Highest 11% above VT |
| New Haven and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.5 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
17.1%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.8 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
22.2%±2.4 VT: 21.4% |
| Windham and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
31.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
0.9%±0.9 VT: 7% |
| Bristol and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,620±$8kLowest 8% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
$92,321±$17k 14% above VT |
| Peru and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $337,300±$46kLowest 7% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
$379,300±$19k 20% above VT |
| Peru and New Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,275±$181Highest 3% above VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
— | $1,163±$143Lowest 6% below VT |
| Bristol and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,978Highest 19% above VT |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
$5,951 18% above VT |
$5,967 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
20.1%±6.7Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bristol and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
3.1% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
78.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest same as VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
22 minLowest 7% below VT |
| Work from home | 17.9%±6.1 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.8%±5.8 VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Bristol 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 | #31 of 70 in VT | — | — | — |
| School district | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — | — | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 |
| High school in town | Mt. Abraham Union High School | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.