Compare towns
Peru vs Westminster vs Ripton 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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
Ripton has the most homeowners (90.9%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 44.2).
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 | Westminster | Ripton | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 434Lowest |
2,999Highest |
508 |
594 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -5.1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+25.7%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6 5% above VT |
53.5±3.7Highest 24% above VT |
47.7±14.2 11% above VT |
44.2±7.4Lowest about the VT average |
| 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% |
18.2%±4.7Highest VT: 17.9% |
11.8%±6.3 VT: 17.9% |
17.5%±7.9 VT: 17.9% |
| Westminster and Windham 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% |
27.6%±6.8 VT: 21.4% |
30.5%±7.1Highest VT: 21.4% |
23.2%±8.1 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% |
46.3%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
48% VT: 43.8% |
48.1% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
4.4%±3.1 VT: 7% |
20.1%±6.3Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest VT: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$71,491±$4kLowest 12% below VT |
$112,917±$15k 39% above VT |
$94,500±$12k 16% 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 |
$273,800±$35kLowest 14% below VT |
$394,400±$61k 25% above VT |
$353,900±$20k 12% 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 |
$916±$126Lowest 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 |
$4,063Lowest 19% below VT |
$4,915 about the VT average |
$5,951Highest 18% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
49.2%±7.5 VT: 48.4% |
52.9%±100Highest VT: 48.4% |
41.2%±94 VT: 48.4% |
| Ripton and Westminster 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% |
8.8% VT: 10.1% |
8.6% VT: 10.1% |
9.9%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
88.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
82.9% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 5 yrs newer than VT |
1980 4 yrs newer than VT |
1973Lowest 3 yrs older than VT |
1982Highest 6 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 19% above VT |
24 minLowest about the VT average |
24 min about the VT average |
27 min 14% above VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9% |
27%±6.6Highest VT: 16.9% |
17.2%±8.7 VT: 16.9% |
20.5%±5.6 VT: 16.9% |
| Westminster and Windham 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 | — | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school 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.