Compare towns
Peru vs Bow vs Ripton 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 most renters (21% rent).
Bow has the most expensive homes ($507k median).
Ripton has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Westminster has the most affordable homes ($314k median).
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 | Bow | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
8,335Highest |
508 |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5 11% above U.S. |
| Ripton 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Bow 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% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±3.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83k 88% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 20% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Bow and Peru 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. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Bow 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. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,480Lowest 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Bow 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% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Bow 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.