Compare towns
Peru vs Bennington vs Windham
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).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Bennington | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
9,245Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
44.5±3 3% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| Peru and Bennington 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% |
15.8%±3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Bennington 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% |
26.9%±3.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington and Windham 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% |
34.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
4.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Bennington 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 |
$54,257±$12kLowest 33% below VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| Peru and Windham 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 |
$191,700±$28kLowest 39% below VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% above VT |
| Peru and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
$1,115±$57Lowest 10% below VT |
— |
| Peru and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 about the VT average |
$4,331Lowest 14% below VT |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
70.4%±17.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington and Windham 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% |
11.4%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
54.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1954Lowest 22 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
12.6%±5.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | #58 of 70 in VT | — |
| 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.