What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

West Burke has the most people working from home (20%).

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	West Burke
People
Population	434Highest	161Lowest
Median age	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT	59.2±16.3Highest 37% above VT
	West Burke 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%	11.8%±10.4Highest VT: 17.9%
	West Burke 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%	31.1%±13.2Highest VT: 21.4%
	West Burke 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%	28.7%Lowest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%	5%±3.3Highest VT: 7%
	West Burke 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	$27,321±$15kLowest 66% below VT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT	$275,000±$60kLowest 13% below VT
	Peru and West Burke 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	$525±$373Lowest 57% below VT
	Peru and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,000Highest about the VT average	$3,194Lowest 37% below VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%	77.8%±31.3Highest VT: 48.4%
	West Burke 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%	20.5%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Highest VT: 73.2%	61.3%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 19% above VT	25 minLowest 7% above VT
Work from home	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	20%±10.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	West Burke and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.