What stands out worked out from the figures below

Peru has the highest household income ($152k).

Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Peru	Pittsfield
People
Population	434Highest	391Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-7.7% VT: +2.8%
Median age	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT	53.8±3.5Highest 25% above VT
	Pittsfield 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 VT: 17.9%	13.6%±8.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	Pittsfield and Peru 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%	30.4%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4%
	Pittsfield 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%	45.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%	2.8%±3.5Highest VT: 7%
	Pittsfield and Peru 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	$65,852±$12kLowest 19% below VT
	Peru and Pittsfield 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	$313,300±$73kLowest about the VT average
	Peru and Pittsfield 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	$1,035±$140Lowest 16% below VT
	Peru and Pittsfield 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	$5,181Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	35.6%±43Highest VT: 48.4%
	Pittsfield 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%	8.4%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Highest VT: 73.2%	76.2%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1977Lowest 1 yr newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 19% above VT	19 minLowest 18% below VT
Work from home	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	28.1%±24.1Highest VT: 16.9%
	Pittsfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.