What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walden has the most kids (14.3% under 18).

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

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	Walden	Peru
People
Population	1,037Highest	434Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	48.8±3.2Highest 13% above VT	45.3±8.6Lowest 5% above VT
	Walden and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.9Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Walden and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±2.6Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Peru and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.4%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Walden and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,000±$15kLowest 8% above VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
	Peru and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$238,900±$23kLowest 25% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$900±$136Lowest 27% below VT	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average
	Peru and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,944Lowest 22% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.3%±86.8Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Walden and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.8%Highest VT: 73.2%	79%Lowest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 7 yrs newer than VT	1981Lowest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 10% above VT	28 minHighest 19% above VT
Work from home	21.4%±6.7Highest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Lowest VT: 16.9%
	Walden and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.