Compare towns
Corning vs Middlesex 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).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Peru has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.2%).
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 | Middlesex | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,829 |
1,407Lowest |
6,710Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6% NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6 5% above NY |
55.3±6Highest 39% above NY |
40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
18%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.6%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Middlesex 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
33.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2 NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$75,750±$21kLowest 12% 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 |
$208,100±$62kHighest 51% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,289±$219 20% below NY |
$1,406±$672Highest 13% below NY |
$1,067±$173Lowest 34% below NY |
| Middlesex and Corning 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 |
$3,459Lowest 47% below NY |
$4,357Highest 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15 NY: 52.1% |
29.1%±39Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86% NY: 54.3% |
90.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 38% below NY |
25 minHighest 22% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.2%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | 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 |
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.