Compare towns
Corning vs Peru vs Big Flats
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 most expensive homes ($400k median).
Big Flats has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Peru | Big Flats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,829 |
434Lowest |
7,592Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±3.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±8.6Highest 16% above U.S. |
43.5±3.6 12% above U.S. |
| Peru and Big Flats 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% |
8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Corning and Big Flats are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Big Flats 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Corning and Big Flats 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 10% above U.S. |
$151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$87,044±$11kLowest 8% 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. |
$400,000±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$218,500±$15k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,289±$219 9% below U.S. |
$1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,345±$111Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Big Flats and Corning 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. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$4,765 53% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.1%±15Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Corning and Big Flats are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 23% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±16.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.3%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Big Flats 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 | — | #118 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | HORSEHEADS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 4.0 |
— | — |
| 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.