Compare towns
Peru vs Barre vs Dorset
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Peru | Barre | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
8,412Highest |
2,092 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
45.9±7.5Highest 6% above VT |
| Dorset 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% |
13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
19.4%±3.9Lowest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Dorset 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% VT: 43.8% |
36.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
3.4%±1.9Highest VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 VT: 7% |
| Barre and Dorset 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 |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$210,400±$15kLowest 34% below VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820 about the VT average |
$1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
| Dorset and Peru 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 |
$5,192 3% above VT |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
34.4%±10.3 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1947Lowest 29 yrs older than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
19 minLowest 21% below VT |
22 min 8% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | None in town |
| 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.