Compare towns
Chenango vs Northumberland 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
Chenango has the most people working from home (13.8%).
Northumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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.
| Measure | Chenango | Northumberland | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,787Highest |
5,219Lowest |
6,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% NY: +4.2% |
+3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41±2.8 3% above NY |
46.3±4Highest 16% above NY |
40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Northumberland and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±4.3Lowest 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+ | 22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.9%±4.6 NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango and Northumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
33%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.9Lowest 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 | $86,646±$9kLowest about the NY average |
$91,178±$15k 6% above NY |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
| Peru and Northumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,000±$9kLowest 59% below NY |
$267,300±$26kHighest 37% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
| Northumberland and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$97Lowest 36% below NY |
$1,213±$561Highest 25% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
| Northumberland and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,700Lowest 44% below NY |
$3,938 40% below NY |
$4,357Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±8.7 NY: 52.1% |
41.4%±17.8Lowest 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 | 9.1%Highest NY: 14% |
7.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY |
1993Highest 34 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 27% below NY |
24 min 28% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango and Northumberland 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.