Compare towns
Mendon vs Old Bennington vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Peru has the most renters (21% 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 | Mendon | Old Bennington | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113Highest |
182Lowest |
434 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% VT: +2.8% |
— | — |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Highest 24% above VT |
45±21.3Lowest 4% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
| Mendon and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Mendon and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23kLowest 24% above VT |
$168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$151,875±$83k 87% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44kLowest 13% above VT |
$445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
| Peru and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342 6% above VT |
$8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7Highest VT: 48.4% |
40%±100 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Mendon and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
1.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
28 minHighest 20% above VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.