Compare towns
Brookfield vs Peru vs Ripton vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Brookfield | Peru | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 47±5.9 9% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 21% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12kLowest 16% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest 7% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 21% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
— | — |
| Peru and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 10% below VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 55% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookfield and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | 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 | 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.