Compare towns
Peru vs Bennington vs Windham vs Westminster
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 highest household income ($152k).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
1,588Highest |
594 |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
42.1±7.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
| Peru and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
33.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington and Westminster 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 88% above U.S. |
$83,875±$7k 4% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 20% above U.S. |
$267,300±$15kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
| 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±$820 10% below U.S. |
$1,292±$150Highest 9% below U.S. |
— | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$5,944 91% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.2%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
30 min 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.7%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.