What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marshfield has the most kids (19.4% 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	Marshfield	Peru
People
Population	470Highest	434Lowest
Median age	42.4±8.8Lowest about the VT average	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT
	Peru and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Marshfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Marshfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,375±$20kLowest 4% above VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
	Peru and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,125±$79Lowest 9% below VT	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average
	Peru and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,269Lowest 35% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Marshfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.2%Highest VT: 73.2%	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 24% above VT	28 minLowest 19% above VT
Work from home	17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Marshfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.