Compare towns
Cavendish vs Dover vs Ludlow vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most kids (18.3% under 18).
Dover has the most people working from home (23.2%).
Ludlow has the most renters (28.1% rent).
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 | Cavendish | Dover | Ludlow | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242 |
1,466 |
1,990Highest |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+10.6% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 5% above VT |
53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
52.2±6.2 21% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
| Dover and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
14.1%±6 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Cavendish and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 VT: 21.4% |
29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
31.1%±2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Ludlow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.9% VT: 43.8% |
45.1% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
5.8%±6.4Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Ludlow and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above VT |
$52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$54,885±$14k 32% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
| Peru and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 10% below VT |
$332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$370,200±$46k 17% above VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
| Peru and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 19% below VT |
$670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,112±$151 10% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
| Peru and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 22% below VT |
$4,510 10% below VT |
$4,890 about the VT average |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27Lowest VT: 48.4% |
38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
45.2%±25.2Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Ludlow and Dover 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% |
7.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
5.6% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
81.1% VT: 73.2% |
71.9%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 8 yrs older than VT |
1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1982 6 yrs newer than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 6% below VT |
20 min 14% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 VT: 16.9% |
23.2%±11.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
21.3%±5.2 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Dover and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.