Compare towns
Corning vs Lyons vs Caton 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Lyons has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
Caton has the highest household income ($111k).
Peru has the most expensive homes ($203k median).
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 | Lyons | Caton | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,829 |
5,594 |
2,082Lowest |
6,710Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6% NY: +4.2% |
-0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6 5% above NY |
41.1±5.4 3% above NY |
42.5±6.6Highest 7% above NY |
40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Caton and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4 NY: 20.5% |
25.7%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Lyons and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.9 NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Corning and Lyons are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
36% NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2 NY: 7% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
4.5%±2.5 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 |
$74,524±$12kLowest 13% below NY |
$110,536±$33kHighest 29% above NY |
$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 | $167,600±$14k 60% below NY |
$98,400±$12kLowest 77% below NY |
$189,500±$21k 55% 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 | $1,289±$219Highest 20% below NY |
$920±$111 43% below NY |
$714±$499Lowest 56% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
| Corning and Peru 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 |
$2,998Lowest 54% below NY |
$4,572Highest 31% below NY |
$4,357 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15 NY: 52.1% |
35.6%±12.2 NY: 52.1% |
0%±96.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% NY: 14% |
14.3%Highest NY: 14% |
5%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% NY: 54.3% |
74.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
93.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1972 13 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 38% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
26 minHighest 20% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±8.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±4.1 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Lyons 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 | #393 of 484 in NY | #388 of 484 in NY | — | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LYONS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | LYONS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | PERU HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 4.0Lowest |
9.5 |
— | 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.