Compare towns
Chenango vs Peru vs Dickinson vs Parma
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 homeowners (85.3%).
Peru has the highest household income ($102k).
Dickinson has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Parma has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
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 | Peru | Dickinson | Parma |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,787 |
6,710 |
5,001Lowest |
16,111Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% NY: +4.2% |
-3.2% NY: +4.2% |
-3.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41±2.8 3% above NY |
40.7±3.6 about the NY average |
42.7±3.3Highest 7% above NY |
40.4±3.3Lowest about the NY average |
| Dickinson and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
17.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25.6%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Parma and Chenango 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% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.1%±4 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
32%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2 NY: 7% |
6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
6.2%±1.2 NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,646±$9k about the NY average |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
$77,864±$14kLowest 9% below NY |
$93,558±$8k 9% above NY |
| Peru and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,000±$9k 59% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
$147,400±$17kLowest 65% below NY |
$220,000±$15kHighest 48% below NY |
| Parma and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$97 36% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
$941±$68Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,216±$111Highest 25% below NY |
| Parma and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,700 44% below NY |
$4,357 34% below NY |
$3,523Lowest 46% below NY |
$5,549Highest 16% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±8.7 NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
35.8%±13.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
49.8%±15.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Parma 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% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
8.5% NY: 14% |
8.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
75.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 5 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 27% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
22 min 32% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.3%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Dickinson and Chenango 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 | — | #88 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.7 |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.