What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Belvidere has the most kids (22% 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	Belvidere
People
Population	434Highest	422Lowest
Median age	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT	40.7±6.5Lowest 6% below VT
	Peru and Belvidere 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%	22%±4Highest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%	8.8%±4Lowest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%	35.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±3.2Highest VT: 7%	1.4%±1.3Lowest VT: 7%
	Peru and Belvidere 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	$81,563±$18kLowest about the VT average
	Peru and Belvidere 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	$239,200±$51kLowest 24% below VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,271±$820Lowest about the VT average	$1,542±$1kHighest 25% above VT
	Belvidere and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$3,908Lowest 22% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	66.7%±53.8Highest VT: 48.4%
	Belvidere 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%	5.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%	86.1%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT	1989Highest 13 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 19% above VT	38 minHighest 60% above VT
Work from home	13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9%	9.4%±7.6Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Peru and Belvidere 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.