Compare towns

Corning vs Peru vs Williston

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).
Peru has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).

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.

MeasureCorningPeruWilliston
People
Population
5,829Lowest
6,710
10,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.6±3.6
7% above U.S.
40.7±3.6Lowest
5% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
Williston and Corning 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%
21.8%±3.4
U.S.: 22%
20.5%±5.2Lowest
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%
15.4%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Corning and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
38%
U.S.: 35.7%
33.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±5.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
Peru and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$88,482±$10kLowest
10% above U.S.
$101,771±$22k
26% above U.S.
$106,967±$12kHighest
32% above U.S.
Williston 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±$14kLowest
50% below U.S.
$203,200±$38k
39% below U.S.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,289±$219
9% below U.S.
$1,067±$173Lowest
24% below U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,895Lowest
25% above U.S.
$4,357
40% above U.S.
$5,592Highest
79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.1%±15Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
54.8%±25.3Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
Peru and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960Lowest
20 yrs older than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 min
23% below U.S.
21 minHighest
22% below U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
Work from home
8.3%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.2%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Williston 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 #11 of 70 in VT
School district CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER PERU HIGH SCHOOL None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
4.0Lowest
11.7Highest
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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.