What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the most kids (21.8% under 18).

Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peru	Middlebury
People
Population	6,710Lowest	9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.7±3.6Highest 5% above U.S.	31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middlebury and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,771±$22kHighest 26% above U.S.	$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S.
	Peru and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$203,200±$38kLowest 39% below U.S.	$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,067±$173Lowest 24% below U.S.	$1,156±$113Highest 18% below U.S.
	Middlebury and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,357Lowest 40% above U.S.	$6,868Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peru and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976 4 yrs older than U.S.	1976 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 22% below U.S.	16 minLowest 41% below U.S.
Work from home	10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Middlebury and Peru 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	#17 of 70 in VT
School district	PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town	PERU HIGH SCHOOL	Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.