Compare towns
Peru vs Meredith 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 highest household income ($152k).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
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 | Meredith | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
6,758Highest |
508 |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Ripton 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% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Ripton 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% |
45.9% 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% |
2.9%±1.2 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±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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 20% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
— | $749±$315Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Peru and Meredith 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. |
$5,006Highest 61% 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% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Meredith 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older 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. |
26 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% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Westminster 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.