What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the highest household income ($152k).

Athens has the most kids (13.9% under 18).

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	Athens
People
Population	434Highest	431Lowest
Median age	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT	47.3±6.5Highest 10% above VT
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%	13.9%±6.5Highest VT: 17.9%
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.6%±4.6Highest VT: 21.4%
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	30.3%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%	4.9%±3Highest VT: 7%
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT	$68,438±$30kLowest 16% below VT
	Peru and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT	$240,400±$32kLowest 24% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average	$1,125±$537Lowest 9% below VT
	Peru and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Lowest about the VT average	$5,438Highest 8% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	43.5%±39Highest VT: 48.4%
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%	12.1%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Highest VT: 73.2%	73.7%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 19% above VT	36 minHighest 53% above VT
Work from home	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	19.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9%
	Athens and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.