Peru, Vermont facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peru, Vermont
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Peru, Vermont
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 Peru, Vermont
Location in Vermont
Peru, Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Vermont |
| County | Bennington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 37.3 sq mi (96.7 km2) |
| • Land | 37.2 sq mi (96.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,647 ft (502 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 531 |
| • Density | 14/sq mi (5.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes |
05152 (Peru)
05148 (Londonderry) |
| Area code | 802 |
| FIPS code | 50-55000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1462172 |
| Website | www.peruvt.org |
Peru is a small town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. In 2020, about 531 people lived there.
The town was first called Bromley. Its name was changed to "Peru" to make people want to buy land there. The area was once described as having "trees, bears and mountain lions."
Contents
History of Peru
The town was officially created, or chartered, in 1761. This was done by Benning Wentworth, who was the governor of the Province of New Hampshire.
The first European settlers arrived around 1773. One of the first was William Barlow from Woodstock, Connecticut. The town of Bromley held its first official meeting in March 1802. By the fall of 1802, 14 families lived in the town.
In late 1803 or early 1804, the town's name changed to Peru. This new name was chosen to attract more people. It was meant to sound like the country Peru in South America. That country was known for its rich silver mines and great wealth.
Geography of Peru
Peru is in the northeastern part of Bennington County. It shares a border with Rutland County to the north.
The top of the Green Mountains runs through the western side of the town. The famous Long Trail and Appalachian Trail hiking paths cross these mountains. Bromley Mountain is in the southern part of Peru. It has a popular ski area. Other high points include Styles Peak (3,392-foot (1,034 m)) and Peru Peak (3,428-foot (1,045 m)) to the north.
The main village area of Peru is in the southeastern part of town. It is about 1,706 feet (520 m) above sea level. Vermont Route 11 goes through this part of town, passing the town center and the Bromley Mountain Ski Area.
The town covers about 37.3 square miles (96.7 km2) in total. Most of this is land (37.2 square miles (96.4 km2)), and a small part is water (0.1 square miles (0.3 km2)).
Peru's Climate
Peru has a climate with big changes in temperature throughout the year. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. This type of weather is called a humid continental climate. On climate maps, it is shown as "Dfb."
| Climate data for Peru, Vermont (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 67 (19) |
64 (18) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
96 (36) |
94 (34) |
88 (31) |
82 (28) |
67 (19) |
99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.6 (−3.0) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
37.9 (3.3) |
50.3 (10.2) |
64.1 (17.8) |
69.7 (20.9) |
74.7 (23.7) |
72.9 (22.7) |
67.0 (19.4) |
56.0 (13.3) |
42.7 (5.9) |
32.1 (0.1) |
52.0 (11.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.2 (−8.2) |
20.5 (−6.4) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
40.1 (4.5) |
53.1 (11.7) |
60.5 (15.8) |
65.6 (18.7) |
63.8 (17.7) |
57.2 (14.0) |
46.4 (8.0) |
34.3 (1.3) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
42.5 (5.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 7.8 (−13.4) |
10.4 (−12.0) |
17.3 (−8.2) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
42.0 (5.6) |
51.3 (10.7) |
56.4 (13.6) |
54.6 (12.6) |
47.4 (8.6) |
36.7 (2.6) |
25.8 (−3.4) |
15.9 (−8.9) |
32.9 (0.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −33 (−36) |
−29 (−34) |
−13 (−25) |
5 (−15) |
21 (−6) |
32 (0) |
37 (3) |
31 (−1) |
22 (−6) |
14 (−10) |
2 (−17) |
−23 (−31) |
−33 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.90 (99) |
3.40 (86) |
4.15 (105) |
3.97 (101) |
4.06 (103) |
5.01 (127) |
4.49 (114) |
4.64 (118) |
3.98 (101) |
5.16 (131) |
3.75 (95) |
4.47 (114) |
50.98 (1,294) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 29.9 (76) |
24.3 (62) |
25.0 (64) |
7.8 (20) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1.0 (2.5) |
6.7 (17) |
21.6 (55) |
116.4 (296.75) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 20 (51) |
27 (69) |
28 (71) |
16 (41) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (2.5) |
5 (13) |
13 (33) |
31 (79) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 130 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 10 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 42 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People in Peru
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 71 | — | |
| 1800 | 130 | 83.1% | |
| 1810 | 239 | 83.8% | |
| 1820 | 314 | 31.4% | |
| 1830 | 455 | 44.9% | |
| 1840 | 578 | 27.0% | |
| 1850 | 567 | −1.9% | |
| 1860 | 543 | −4.2% | |
| 1870 | 500 | −7.9% | |
| 1880 | 556 | 11.2% | |
| 1890 | 445 | −20.0% | |
| 1900 | 373 | −16.2% | |
| 1910 | 242 | −35.1% | |
| 1920 | 216 | −10.7% | |
| 1930 | 156 | −27.8% | |
| 1940 | 142 | −9.0% | |
| 1950 | 197 | 38.7% | |
| 1960 | 194 | −1.5% | |
| 1970 | 243 | 25.3% | |
| 1980 | 312 | 28.4% | |
| 1990 | 324 | 3.8% | |
| 2000 | 416 | 28.4% | |
| 2010 | 375 | −9.9% | |
| 2020 | 531 | 41.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 416 people living in Peru. There were 157 households and 118 families. The population density was about 11.1 people per square mile (4.3 people/km2) per square mile.
About 35.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. Most households (66.2%) were married couples. The average household had 2.65 people.
The average age of people in Peru was 41 years old. About 25.7% of the population was under 18.
The median income for a household was $47,188. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. A very small number of people (0.7%) lived below the poverty line, which means they had very low incomes.
Fun Things to Do in Peru
Peru offers many fun activities for visitors and residents.
- Bromley Mountain ski area is a great place for alpine skiing and snowboarding in the winter. In the summer, it turns into an adventure park.
- Hapgood Pond Recreation Area is part of the Green Mountain National Forest. Here you can find a campground, go fishing, swim, and walk a one-mile nature trail.
- Peru is also home to parts of famous hiking trails. These include the Appalachian Trail, the Long Trail, and the Catamount Trail.
See also
In Spanish: Peru (Vermont) para niños
