Compare towns
Black Brook vs Middlesex vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Black Brook has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Peru has the highest household income ($102k).
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 | Black Brook | Middlesex | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,315Lowest |
1,407 |
6,710Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 56.5±5.8Highest 42% above NY |
55.3±6 39% above NY |
40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Black Brook and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.6%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 36%±5.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
24.6%±3.1 NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% NY: 40.2% |
21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
33.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.8 NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
| Peru and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,852±$20kLowest 21% below NY |
$75,750±$21k 12% below NY |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
| Peru and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,200±$48kLowest 52% below NY |
$208,100±$62kHighest 51% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $783±$461Lowest 52% below NY |
$1,406±$672Highest 13% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,633 45% below NY |
$3,459Lowest 47% below NY |
$4,357Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±32 NY: 52.1% |
29.1%±39Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Black Brook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% NY: 14% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1% NY: 54.3% |
90.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 3% below NY |
25 min 22% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 3.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.2%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Middlesex and Peru 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 | — | — | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.