Compare towns
Middlefield vs Putney vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlefield has the highest household income ($104k).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k 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.
| Measure | Middlefield | Putney | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 352Lowest |
2,622Highest |
630 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -26.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.7Highest 46% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
52.6±4.8 35% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 4.5%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Peru and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.7%±8.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Peru and Middlefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,750±$23kHighest 29% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$90,750±$18k 12% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,800±$48kHighest about the U.S. average |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
$267,400±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Middlefield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,625±$1kHighest 86% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,926 58% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,805Lowest 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlefield and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.2%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Middlefield 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.