Compare towns
Corning vs Erwin vs Jay 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
Corning has the most affordable homes ($168k median).
Erwin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Jay has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Corning | Erwin | Jay | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,829 |
7,965Highest |
2,354Lowest |
6,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.8% NY: +4.2% |
-3.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6 5% above NY |
43.8±2 10% above NY |
48.8±4.6Highest 23% above NY |
40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Jay and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±3.7 NY: 20.5% |
16%±4.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Corning and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
17.4%±2.8 NY: 17.9% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Jay and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38% NY: 40.2% |
49.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2 NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.9 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
| Peru and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,482±$10k about the NY average |
$88,333±$16k about the NY average |
$72,380±$19kLowest 16% below NY |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
| Peru and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,600±$14kLowest 60% below NY |
$223,700±$26kHighest 47% below NY |
$196,900±$22k 54% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
| Erwin and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,289±$219Highest 20% below NY |
$1,271±$136 22% below NY |
$1,272±$366 22% below NY |
$1,067±$173Lowest 34% below NY |
| Corning and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,895 41% below NY |
$5,829Highest 11% below NY |
$3,741Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,357 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15 NY: 52.1% |
56.8%±14Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Erwin and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% NY: 14% |
9.3%Highest NY: 14% |
6.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% NY: 54.3% |
67.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 38% below NY |
15 minLowest 54% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Peru and Erwin 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 | #393 of 484 in NY | #431 of 484 in NY | — | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | None in town | None in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 4.0Lowest |
— | — | 11.7Highest |
| 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.