Compare towns
Corning vs Northfield vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Corning has the most affordable homes ($168k median).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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 | Northfield | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,829Lowest |
5,920 |
6,710Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6Highest 7% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
40.7±3.6 5% above U.S. |
| Corning and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Corning and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Corning and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±5.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,482±$10k 10% above U.S. |
$71,768±$13kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$101,771±$22kHighest 26% above U.S. |
| 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 50% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$203,200±$38k 39% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,289±$219Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,067±$173 24% below U.S. |
| Corning and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,895Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
$4,357 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.8%±25.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northfield and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Northfield 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 | #42 of 70 in VT | #347 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | Northfield Middle/High School | PERU HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 4.0Lowest |
10.0 |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.