Compare towns
Leicester vs Peru vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most expensive homes ($310k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($102k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Leicester | Peru | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,026Lowest |
6,710Highest |
4,120 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±3.8 25% above U.S. |
40.7±3.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Brandon and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Peru and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peru and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,417±$30k 13% below U.S. |
$101,771±$22kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Peru and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,700±$107kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$203,200±$38kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
| Leicester and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,098±$300Highest 22% below U.S. |
$1,067±$173 24% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Leicester and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,357Highest 40% above U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peru and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 7% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.7%±5.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Leicester 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 | — | #347 of 484 in NY | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7Highest |
9.9Lowest |
| 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.