Compare towns
Peru vs Whitingham vs Dorset
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).
Whitingham has the most affordable homes ($262k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Whitingham | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
1,368 |
2,092Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
+5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT |
46.4±7.1Highest 8% above VT |
45.9±7.5 6% above VT |
| Whitingham and Dorset 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% |
19.8%±4.5 VT: 17.9% |
24%±5.5Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Dorset and Whitingham 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%±2.3Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.9%±4.5 VT: 21.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3% VT: 43.8% |
32.8%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
72.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7% |
2.2%±1.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±2.1Highest VT: 7% |
| Dorset and Whitingham 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 |
$70,625±$11kLowest 13% below VT |
$111,250±$40k 37% above VT |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 26% above VT |
$262,300±$30kLowest 17% below VT |
$569,200±$57kHighest 80% above VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820 about the VT average |
$673±$150Lowest 45% below VT |
$1,420±$296Highest 15% above VT |
| Dorset and Peru 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 |
$5,055 about the VT average |
$7,489Highest 49% above VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
62.7%±47.3 VT: 48.4% |
74.4%±22.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Dorset and Whitingham 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% |
15.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
11.2% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
85.2% VT: 73.2% |
90.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1974 2 yrs older than VT |
1972Lowest 4 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 19% above VT |
38 minHighest 62% above VT |
22 minLowest 8% below VT |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 VT: 16.9% |
9.7%±5.2Lowest VT: 16.9% |
29.3%±7.5Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Dorset and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | Twin Valley Middle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.