Compare towns
Peru vs Putney vs Westminster vs Ripton
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).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
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 | Putney | Westminster | Ripton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
2,622 |
2,999Highest |
508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1% VT: +2.8% |
-5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
37.2±5.2Lowest 14% below VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
| Westminster 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 VT: 17.9% |
15.4%±4.1 VT: 17.9% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Putney 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% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest VT: 21.4% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
48.6% VT: 43.8% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
20.4%±3.4Highest VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3 VT: 7% |
| Putney and Ripton 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 |
$79,706±$18k about the VT average |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% 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±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$300,000±$44k 5% below VT |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
| Peru and Ripton 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 |
$508±$482Lowest 59% below VT |
$916±$126 26% below VT |
— |
| Peru and Westminster 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 |
$5,313Highest 5% above VT |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
54.2%±19.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100 VT: 48.4% |
| Putney 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% |
16%Highest VT: 10.1% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% VT: 73.2% |
72.8%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
18 minLowest 24% below VT |
24 min about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
16.9%±6.5 VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Ripton 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #53 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.