Small-town living surrounded by nature in Peacham
From its original settlement in 1776, Peacham has remained a small rural town, with just over 700 residents. Covering nearly 48 square miles, the town’s rural houses, farms and forests spiral out from a tiny, historic downtown. “Peacham is often described as one of the most picturesque and quintessential New England villages,” says Liz Tremblay, a Realtor at RE/MAX Heritage who has lived in the Northeast Kingdom, especially the St. Johnsbury area, for 25 years and has over 5 years of experience selling homes here. “And it’s the scenic beauty; it’s got the rolling hills of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, views of forests, lakes and mountains.” Tremblay adds that residents and vacationers, especially creative types and intellectuals, have been drawn to this beauty for generations in the pursuit of inspiration and solitude, including activist David Dellinger and literary theorist Roman Jakobson. As a small town, Peacham is also known for its sense of community. “The people there genuinely know and support each other, so it’s a very close community,” Tremblay says.
Preserved forests offer hiking, cross-country skiing and ponds
Peacham is surrounded by forests, including the Peacham Town Forest, Big Deer Mountain and, just a few miles away, the 26,000-acre Groton State Forest. These natural areas have miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, plus a couple of ponds where people can fish, paddle and kayak. “…it’s great for hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing in the winter, fishing, and there’s abundant trails and lakes and it’s just ideal for an outdoor enthusiast,” Tremblay says. Nearby campgrounds also mean residents are a short drive away from the chance to unplug for a night or a weekend.
Lakefront houses, acreage or historic houses downtown
Stretched along country roads, some of which aren’t paved, Peacham’s homes can be anything from simple ranch-style houses to traditional colonials or log cabin-style homes. Many homes have acreage and outbuildings like barns. Out in the country, prices range from $275,000 and $415,000, though bigger, updated or newer homes can climb as high as $675,000. Homes in Peacham’s little downtown are a bit of a different story. “It has a rich historical atmosphere and it’s well-preserved … a lot of the houses are those 18th and 19th-century white clapboard houses,” Tremblay says. “It’s just a classic New England village.” These houses often have beautifully preserved touches inside and out, like original wood flooring, built-ins or paneling. Although they also tend to have less land, downtown houses, along with homes at the edge of ponds in the country, often cost the most. Prices typically range from $650,000 to $800,000.
A minor risk of flooding impacted by climate change
Vermont receives a lot of precipitation throughout the year, giving it famously snowy winters and a lot of rain for much of the rest of the year. A combination of thawing ground and rain can make Peacham’s hiking trails and dirt roads muddy and harder to get through in spring. In 2024, Vermont experienced record-breaking amounts of rain. Peacham was one of many communities hit hard by flooding; South Peacham Brook overflowed and flooded several homes. “But the community came together and people got out there and worked together to fix roads and … try to rebuild things,” Tremblay says. While the area is at a mild risk for flooding, some experts warn that floods like this could become more common as the climate changes.
Peacham throws several big festivals a year
Peacham takes its celebrations seriously — especially when it comes to finding an excuse to eat a meal together. On the Fourth of July, the town’s celebrations involve a parade, ghost walk, live music, book and art sales and a barbecue dinner at Peacham Congregational Church, all followed by a dance. There’s an annual Fall Foliage Festival, celebrating beautiful views with delicious treats like cider, donuts and a ham dinner at the church. The town’s Winter Carnival also features a ton of events, including a dance, live music, dog sledding and horse-drawn wagon rides, ice skating and cross-country skiing.
Peacham Café and a library, leaving the neighborhood for essentials
Peacham’s downtown is little, consisting of the church, library, an observatory, a little museum and a few official buildings like the headquarters of its active historical association and its fire department. Peacham Café also sits at the center of town right across from the library, making it a popular gathering place. “It’s just a quintessential New England Café — sandwiches, coffee, baked goods, things like that,” Tremblay says. Peacham lacks a grocery store. The closest spot to grab essentials is Marty’s 1st Stop, a little convenience store with a small section for groceries about 7 miles from home in Danville. Otherwise, residents need to drive into St. Johnsbury, about 15 miles away, for access to grocery stores and other shops.
School choice for middle and high schools
From pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, children attend Peacham Elementary School, which has a C-plus on Niche and is located right in Peacham’s little downtown. From middle school on, school choice allows parents to send their kids to any school in the Caledonia Cooperative School District, including Danville School, Cabot School and Twinfield Union School. Danville School and Twinfield Union School both earn C-pluses and Cabot School gets a C; all three schools have a student-to-teacher ratio of 8-to-1, compared to the national average of 17-to-1. Alternatively, St. Johnsbury Academy is a popular, A-rated private school about 15 miles away.
Following rural roads to highways, nearest hospital
Peacham is distinctly rural, so even its biggest streets are little two-lane roads: Bayley-Hazen Road and East Peacham Road. Dirt and gravel roads are pretty common in the neighborhood, and it’s about a 7-mile drive to the biggest nearby highways, U.S. Route 2, Interstate 91 and U.S. Route 5. The nearest hospital is Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital, located about 17 miles away in St. Johnsbury.
Written By
Christina Norwood
