Compare towns
Dover vs Old Bennington vs Peru vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Peru has the most renters (21% rent).
Montgomery has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
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 | Dover | Old Bennington | Peru | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466Highest |
182Lowest |
434 |
1,047 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | — | -1.4%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3Highest 24% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
51.5±11.3 19% above VT |
| Dover and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
15.5%±4.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Montgomery and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
52.8% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7% |
| Montgomery and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 36% below VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$151,875±$83k 87% above VT |
$53,289±$24k 34% below VT |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k 5% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$323,200±$45kLowest about the VT average |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49Lowest 46% below VT |
$1,063±$1k 14% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
$868±$209 30% below VT |
| Peru and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 10% below VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,326Lowest 14% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2 VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
76.6%±68Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Montgomery and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
1.8% VT: 10.1% |
15.6%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.7% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 8 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 6% below VT |
28 min 20% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
37 minHighest 58% above VT |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16%±5.9 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| 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.