Compare towns
Old Bennington vs Barre vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
Bordering Old BenningtonBennington
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Bennington has the most people working from home (46.7%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Peru has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Old Bennington | Barre | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 182Lowest |
8,412Highest |
434 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45±21.3 4% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
| Peru and Old Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Old Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.8%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
| Old Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.9%Highest VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
54.3% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±7.8Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,750±$53kHighest 108% above VT |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below 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 | $445,500±$105kHighest 41% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below 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 | $1,063±$1kLowest 14% below VT |
$1,093±$58 11% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
| Peru and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,690Highest 72% above VT |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$5,000Lowest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Old Bennington and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
1.8% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
79% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 20% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
28 min 19% above VT |
| Work from home | 46.7%±3.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— |
| 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.