Compare towns
Peru vs Fairlee vs Ripton vs Mount Tabor
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 youngest population (median age 45.3).
Fairlee has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Ripton has the most people working from home (17.2%).
Mount Tabor has the most expensive homes ($421k 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 | Fairlee | Ripton | Mount Tabor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434 |
1,066Highest |
508 |
304Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
56.2±8.7 30% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
57.8±10.6Highest 34% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Fairlee 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% |
12.2%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
10.2%±6.1 VT: 17.9% |
| Fairlee and Ripton 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% |
33.4%±5.2 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
42.4%±18.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Mount Tabor and Fairlee 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% |
46.5% VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
34.9%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
5.3%±3.7 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
1.6%±4Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$74,760±$10kLowest 8% below VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
— |
| Peru and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$274,200±$39kLowest 13% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$420,500±$76kHighest 33% above VT |
| Mount Tabor 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 about the VT average |
$1,083±$242Lowest 12% below VT |
— | $2,143±$367Highest 74% above VT |
| Mount Tabor and Peru 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 |
$5,617Highest 11% above VT |
$4,915Lowest about the VT average |
$5,233 4% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8 VT: 48.4% |
89.2%±71.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Ripton 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% |
14.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
11% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
80.9% VT: 73.2% |
90.9% VT: 73.2% |
92.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1972 4 yrs older than VT |
1973 3 yrs older than VT |
1946Lowest 30 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
24 min 3% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
46 minHighest 94% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
15%±7.9 VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7Highest VT: 16.9% |
10.4%±8.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Ripton and Fairlee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.