What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dickinson has the most people working from home (14.4%).

Peru has the most expensive homes ($203k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dickinson	Peru
People
Population	5,001Lowest	6,710Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.2%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.7±3.3Highest 7% above NY	40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average
	Dickinson and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%	21.8%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±4Highest NY: 17.9%	15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Dickinson and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32%Lowest NY: 40.2%	33.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±1.2Lowest NY: 7%	6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7%
	Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,864±$14kLowest 9% below NY	$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY
	Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$147,400±$17kLowest 65% below NY	$203,200±$38kHighest 52% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$941±$68Lowest 42% below NY	$1,067±$173Highest 34% below NY
	Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,523Lowest 46% below NY	$4,357Highest 34% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35.8%±13.8Lowest NY: 52.1%	54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Peru and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest NY: 14%	8.9%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%	82.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 48% below NY	21 minHighest 37% below NY
Work from home	14.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9%	10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Dickinson 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	—	#347 of 484 in NY
School district	CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	PERU HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.7
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.