Compare towns
Peru vs Washburn 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).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k median).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Westminster has the most people working from home (23.1%).
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.
| Measure | Peru | Washburn | Ripton | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
1,355Highest |
508 |
497 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -9.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 16% above U.S. |
48.2±7.7Highest 24% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
43.3±11.5Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Washburn 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% |
21.7%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
28.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westminster and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Washburn 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% |
26%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.4 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. |
$56,196±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$81,000±$22k 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±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$112,900±$14kLowest 66% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$313,600±$39k 6% below U.S. |
| 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 10% below U.S. |
$482±$62Lowest 66% below U.S. |
— | $749±$315 47% below U.S. |
| Peru and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$1,571Lowest 50% below U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$4,480 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±24.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.1%±43.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Washburn 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% |
12.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.2%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. |
1969 11 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. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±15.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | — | — | #53 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | RSU 45/MSAD 45 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | — | Washburn District High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.0 |
— | — |
| 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.