Compare towns
Parma vs Peru vs Chenango
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Parma has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Peru has the highest household income ($102k).
Chenango has the most people working from home (13.8%).
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 | Parma | Peru | Chenango |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,111Highest |
6,710Lowest |
10,787 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.4±3.3Lowest about the NY average |
40.7±3.6 about the NY average |
41±2.8Highest 3% above NY |
| Chenango and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.7%±3 NY: 20.5% |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
33.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2 NY: 7% |
| Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,558±$8k 9% above NY |
$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
$86,646±$9kLowest about the NY average |
| Peru and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,000±$15kHighest 48% below NY |
$203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
$172,000±$9kLowest 59% below NY |
| Parma and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$111Highest 25% below NY |
$1,067±$173 34% below NY |
$1,038±$97Lowest 36% below NY |
| Parma and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,549Highest 16% below NY |
$4,357 34% below NY |
$3,700Lowest 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.8%±15.2 NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±8.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.9% NY: 14% |
9.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 32% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.3%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango and Parma 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 | #88 of 484 in NY | #347 of 484 in NY | #233 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9Highest |
11.7 |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.