Compare towns

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

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.

MeasureCorningWillistonPeru
People
Population
5,829Lowest
10,144Highest
6,710
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-4.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+16.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
-3.2%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.6±3.6
7% above U.S.
45.4±4.5Highest
17% above U.S.
40.7±3.6Lowest
5% 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%
20.5%±5.2Lowest
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%
21%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
15.4%±3.6Lowest
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%
54.9%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
33.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7%±1.2Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.7%±2.7
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±5.4Highest
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.
$106,967±$12kHighest
32% above U.S.
$101,771±$22k
26% 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.
$475,800±$40kHighest
43% above U.S.
$203,200±$38k
39% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,289±$219
9% below U.S.
$1,832±$130Highest
30% above U.S.
$1,067±$173Lowest
24% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,895Lowest
25% above U.S.
$5,592Highest
79% above U.S.
$4,357
40% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39.1%±15Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.9%±17.4
U.S.: 51.1%
54.8%±25.3Highest
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%
4.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
75.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
82.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960Lowest
20 yrs older than U.S.
1993Highest
13 yrs newer than U.S.
1976
4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 min
23% below U.S.
20 minLowest
25% below U.S.
21 minHighest
22% below U.S.
Work from home
8.3%±3.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.3%±7.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.2%±4.7
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 #11 of 70 in VT #347 of 484 in NY
School district CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 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

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.