Compare towns
Lancaster vs Peru vs Ripton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
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 | Lancaster | Peru | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,216Highest |
434Lowest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.5±6.9 17% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$400,000±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,019±$263Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,271±$820Highest 10% below U.S. |
— |
| Peru and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±17 U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Peru 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 | #107 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | White Mountains Regional School District | — | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.