Compare towns
Guilford vs Peru vs Ripton vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Brattleboro has the most renters (41.5% rent).
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 | Guilford | Peru | Ripton | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,461 |
434Lowest |
508 |
12,122Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1% VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.2 8% above VT |
45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
47.7±14.2Highest 11% above VT |
45.6±4.5 6% above VT |
| Ripton and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±4.9 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Brattleboro and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.6%±4 VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2 VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.4 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,243±$6k 7% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below 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 | $312,600±$39k about the VT average |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$273Highest 4% above VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
— | $1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
| Guilford and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,827Highest 16% above VT |
$5,000 about the VT average |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,700 13% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±19.4 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Guilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% above VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 min about the VT average |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
| Work from home | 16.7%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Brattleboro and Ripton 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 | — | — | — | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.