What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whiting has the most kids (23.5% 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	Whiting	Peru
People
Population	532Highest	434Lowest
Median age	39.6±2.7Lowest 8% below VT	45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.5%±6.9Highest VT: 17.9%	8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9%
Age 65+	13%±5.1Lowest VT: 21.4%	21.4%±5Highest VT: 21.4%
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.9%Lowest VT: 43.8%	54.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±4Highest VT: 7%	1.8%±3.2Lowest VT: 7%
	Whiting and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,250±$38kLowest 12% above VT	$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$280,400±$36kLowest 11% below VT	$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,204±$519Lowest about the VT average	$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,227Lowest 16% below VT	$5,000Highest about the VT average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.3%±37.3Highest VT: 48.4%	29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4%
	Whiting and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.5%Highest VT: 10.1%	1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.4%Lowest VT: 73.2%	79%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 1 yr older than VT	1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 7% below VT	28 minHighest 19% above VT
Work from home	10%±5.4Lowest VT: 16.9%	13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9%
	Peru and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53	—
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.