Compare towns
Middlesex vs Peru vs Waterbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Peru has the most affordable homes ($203k median).
Waterbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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 | Peru | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943Lowest |
6,710Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
40.7±3.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Waterbury and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$101,771±$22kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$103,917±$23k 29% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$203,200±$38kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$447,200±$40kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Waterbury 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 6% below U.S. |
$1,067±$173 24% below U.S. |
$1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| 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 108% above U.S. |
$4,357Lowest 40% above U.S. |
$6,435 106% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.8%±21.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peru and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | None in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.