What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the highest household income ($102k).

Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).

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	Westminster
People
Population	6,710Highest	2,999Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.7±3.6Lowest 5% above U.S.	53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%	18.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Peru and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Peru and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,771±$22kHighest 26% above U.S.	$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$203,200±$38kLowest 39% below U.S.	$273,800±$35kHighest 18% below U.S.
	Westminster and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,067±$173Highest 24% below U.S.	$916±$126Lowest 35% below U.S.
	Peru and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,357Highest 40% above U.S.	$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.2%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Peru and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#347 of 484 in NY	#53 of 70 in VT
School district	PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District
High school in town	PERU HIGH SCHOOL	Bellows Falls Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	10.6Lowest
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.