Compare towns
Windsor vs Peru vs Bellows Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($170k median).
Peru has the highest household income ($152k).
Bellows Falls has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Windsor | Peru | Bellows Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,060 |
434Lowest |
2,891Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Highest VT: +2.8% |
— | -12.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 44.6±12.3 3% above VT |
45.3±8.6Highest 5% above VT |
41.3±6.7Lowest 4% below VT |
| Peru and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±8.8 VT: 17.9% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
22.6%±6.4Highest VT: 17.9% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±8Highest VT: 21.4% |
21.4%±5Lowest VT: 21.4% |
23.7%±5.7 VT: 21.4% |
| Windsor and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% VT: 43.8% |
54.3%Highest VT: 43.8% |
27.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±1.4Lowest VT: 7% |
1.8%±3.2 VT: 7% |
8.2%±4.3Highest VT: 7% |
| Bellows Falls and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,197±$4kLowest 37% below VT |
$151,875±$83kHighest 87% above VT |
$56,086±$2k 31% below VT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$22kLowest 46% below VT |
$400,000±$105kHighest 26% above VT |
$195,600±$35k 38% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$107Lowest 19% below VT |
$1,271±$820Highest about the VT average |
$1,038±$109 16% below VT |
| Peru and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,878 3% below VT |
$5,000Highest about the VT average |
$4,448Lowest 12% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.4%±20 VT: 48.4% |
29%±47.8Lowest VT: 48.4% |
43.9%±16.8Highest VT: 48.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% VT: 10.1% |
1.8%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
25.1%Highest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.6% VT: 73.2% |
79%Highest VT: 73.2% |
50.7%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1981Highest 5 yrs newer than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 6% below VT |
28 minHighest 19% above VT |
20 minLowest 14% below VT |
| Work from home | 6.6%±4.7Lowest VT: 16.9% |
13.3%±16.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
6.9%±5.3 VT: 16.9% |
| Peru and Bellows Falls 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 | #61 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| 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.