What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hyde Park has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Peru has the most expensive homes ($400k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hyde Park	Peru
People
Population	513Highest	434Lowest
Median age	42.6±10.1Lowest about the VT average	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT
	Peru and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	16.4%±3.3Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Peru and Hyde Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±2Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Hyde Park and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$89,946±$10kLowest 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	$221,800±$57kLowest 30% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,306±$285Highest 6% above VT	$1,271±$820Lowest about the VT average
	Hyde Park and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,893Lowest 23% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±47.5Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Hyde Park and Peru 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%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Highest VT: 73.2%	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 12 yrs older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 11% above VT	28 minHighest 19% above VT
Work from home	7.9%±5.3Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Peru and Hyde Park 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 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.