What stands out worked out from the figures below

Danville has the most kids (18.9% 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	Danville	Peru
People
Population	2,360Highest	434Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	53.1±6Highest 23% above VT	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT
	Danville and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±4.9Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Danville and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.7%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4%
	Danville and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.5%±1.2Lowest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7%
	Peru and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,946±$7kLowest 13% below VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
	Peru and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$275,800±$43kLowest 13% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
	Peru and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,271±$820 about the VT average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,358Lowest 14% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	9.5%±11.4Lowest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Peru and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.1%Highest VT: 73.2%	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest same as VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 39% above VT	28 minLowest 19% above VT
Work from home	18.7%±9.5Highest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Danville and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.