Compare towns
Peru vs Williston vs South Hero
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most affordable homes ($203k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
South Hero has the highest household income ($127k).
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 | Peru | Williston | South Hero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710 |
10,144Highest |
1,586Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
51.5±4.8Highest 32% above U.S. |
| South Hero and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Peru and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Hero and Williston 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Peru and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,771±$22kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$127,434±$15kHighest 58% above U.S. |
| South Hero and Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$558,300±$46kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| South Hero and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,439±$221 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,357Lowest 40% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$7,858Highest 152% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.6%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peru and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| South Hero and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | South Hero School District |
| High school in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.