What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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.

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

Measure	Peru	Chenango
People
Population	6,710Lowest	10,787Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-2.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.7±3.6Lowest 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	21.8%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	22.7%±3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Chenango and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9%	22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest NY: 40.2%	35.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7%	4.8%±2Lowest 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	$101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY	$86,646±$9kLowest about the NY average
	Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$203,200±$38kHighest 52% below NY	$172,000±$9kLowest 59% below NY
	Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,067±$173Highest 34% below NY	$1,038±$97Lowest 36% below NY
	Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,357Highest 34% below NY	$3,700Lowest 44% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1%	41.7%±8.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Peru and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.9%Lowest NY: 14%	9.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	85.3%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY	1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 37% below NY	24 minHighest 27% below NY
Work from home	10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9%
	Chenango 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	#233 of 484 in NY
School district	PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	PERU HIGH SCHOOL	CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.