Compare towns
Peru vs Middlebury vs Windham
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).
Middlebury has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
9,175Highest |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.7% VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
31.8±3.7Lowest 26% below VT |
44.2±7.4 about the VT average |
| 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 VT: 17.9% |
11.6%±1.9 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Windham and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 VT: 21.4% |
20.7%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| 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% VT: 43.8% |
55.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
48.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
32.6%±1.1Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$86,169±$16kLowest 6% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% above VT |
| 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±$105k 26% above VT |
$409,700±$30kHighest 29% above VT |
$353,900±$20kLowest 12% above VT |
| Middlebury 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 about the VT average |
$1,156±$113Lowest 6% below VT |
— |
| Peru and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest about the VT average |
$6,868Highest 36% above VT |
$5,951 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
50.9%±14.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Middlebury and Windham 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% |
10.7%Highest VT: 10.1% |
9.9% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
65.1%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
82.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1976Lowest same as VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
16 minLowest 33% below VT |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
18.8%±4.1 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Windham and Middlebury 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 | — | #17 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Middlebury Union High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.