Compare towns
Middlesex vs Brattleboro vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Middlesex | Brattleboro | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943 |
12,122Highest |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Highest VT: +2.8% |
+1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Lowest 3% above VT |
45.6±4.5Highest 6% above VT |
45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
| Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
19%±2.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Middlesex and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Lowest VT: 21.4% |
25.5%±3.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest VT: 43.8% |
46.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
4.1%±1.6 VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
| Middlesex and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 35% above VT |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 19% above VT |
$257,300±$18kLowest 19% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Highest 8% above VT |
$1,074±$58Lowest 13% below VT |
$1,271±$820 about the VT average |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 29% above VT |
$5,700 13% above VT |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
46.9%±9.6Highest VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
| Brattleboro and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% VT: 10.1% |
17.8%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
58.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 10 yrs newer than VT |
1955Lowest 21 yrs older than VT |
1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% above VT |
19 minLowest 19% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.9%±4 VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Middlesex and Brattleboro 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 | — | #33 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.