Compare towns
Brookline vs Hyde Park vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Hyde Park has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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.
| Measure | Brookline | Hyde Park | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Highest |
513 |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 5% above VT |
42.6±10.1Lowest about the VT average |
45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Peru and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Hyde Park and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 VT: 21.4% |
16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Peru and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% VT: 43.8% |
41%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.1%±2 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest about the VT average |
$89,946±$10k 11% above VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
| Peru and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 8% below VT |
$221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
| Peru and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 40% above VT |
$1,306±$285 6% above VT |
$1,271±$820Lowest about the VT average |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest about the VT average |
$3,893Lowest 23% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
42.1%±47.5 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Brookline and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
6.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79.6% VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 1 yr older than VT |
1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 21% above VT |
26 minLowest 11% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Brookline 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 | — | #59 of 70 in VT | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.