Compare towns

Caton vs Chenango 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

Caton has the most homeowners (93.3%).
Chenango has the most people working from home (13.8%).
Peru has the shortest commute (21 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.

MeasureCatonChenangoPeru
People
Population
2,082Lowest
10,787Highest
6,710
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-6%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
-2.6%Highest
NY: +4.2%
-3.2%
NY: +4.2%
Median age
42.5±6.6Highest
7% above NY
41±2.8
3% above NY
40.7±3.6Lowest
about the NY average
Caton and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.9%±4.4Lowest
NY: 20.5%
22.7%±3Highest
NY: 20.5%
21.8%±3.4
NY: 20.5%
Chenango and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.3%±2.9
NY: 17.9%
22.6%±2.6Highest
NY: 17.9%
15.4%±3.6Lowest
NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36%Highest
NY: 40.2%
35.2%
NY: 40.2%
33.2%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.5%±2.5Lowest
NY: 7%
4.8%±2
NY: 7%
6.3%±5.4Highest
NY: 7%
Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$110,536±$33kHighest
29% above NY
$86,646±$9kLowest
about the NY average
$101,771±$22k
18% above NY
Caton and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$189,500±$21k
55% below NY
$172,000±$9kLowest
59% below NY
$203,200±$38kHighest
52% below NY
Peru and Caton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$714±$499Lowest
56% below NY
$1,038±$97
36% below NY
$1,067±$173Highest
34% below NY
Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,572Highest
31% below NY
$3,700Lowest
44% below NY
$4,357
34% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±96.6Lowest
NY: 52.1%
41.7%±8.7
NY: 52.1%
54.8%±25.3Highest
NY: 52.1%
Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
5%Lowest
NY: 14%
9.1%Highest
NY: 14%
8.9%
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93.3%Highest
NY: 54.3%
85.3%
NY: 54.3%
82.7%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1972
13 yrs newer than NY
1964Lowest
5 yrs newer than NY
1976Highest
17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
26 minHighest
20% below NY
24 min
27% below NY
21 minLowest
37% below NY
Work from home
8.9%±4.1Lowest
NY: 14.9%
13.8%±3.2Highest
NY: 14.9%
10.2%±4.7
NY: 14.9%
Chenango 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 — #233 of 484 in NY #347 of 484 in NY
School district — CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town — CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL PERU HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.1Lowest
11.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.