Compare towns
Peru vs Bennington vs Westminster
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 shortest commute (17 min average).
Westminster has the most kids (28.4% 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.
| Measure | Peru | Bennington | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
15,249Highest |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
44.7±2.3 4% above VT |
43.3±11.5Lowest 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% |
17.7%±2.3 VT: 17.9% |
28.4%±7.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
25.2%±2.8Highest VT: 21.4% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
36.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.8%±1.6Highest VT: 7% |
2.2%±3.5 VT: 7% |
| 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 87% above VT |
$59,446±$7kLowest 27% below VT |
$81,000±$22k about the VT average |
| Peru and Westminster 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 |
$213,300±$15kLowest 33% below VT |
$313,600±$39k about the VT average |
| Peru and Westminster 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 |
$1,133±$63 8% below VT |
$749±$315Lowest 39% 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 | $5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,513 10% below VT |
$4,480Lowest 11% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
68.8%±14.1Highest VT: 48.4% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Bennington 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% |
13.2%Highest VT: 10.1% |
2.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
58.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.1%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1961 15 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
17 minLowest 27% below VT |
30 minHighest 26% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
15.1%±4.4 VT: 16.9% |
23.1%±15.9Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Bennington 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 | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| High school in town | — | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.