Compare towns
Peru vs Colonie 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
Peru has the youngest population (median age 40.7).
Colonie has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
Chenango has the most affordable homes ($172k 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.
| Measure | Peru | Colonie | Chenango |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710Lowest |
7,702 |
10,787Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
43.4±1.8Highest 9% above NY |
41±2.8 3% above NY |
| Colonie and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
20%±4.7Lowest 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% |
20.9%±3.5 NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango and Colonie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
35.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4 NY: 7% |
7.9%±3.3Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Colonie and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,771±$22k 18% above NY |
$103,983±$6kHighest 21% above NY |
$86,646±$9kLowest about the NY average |
| Colonie and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $203,200±$38k 52% below NY |
$285,400±$10kHighest 33% below NY |
$172,000±$9kLowest 59% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173 34% below NY |
$1,570±$157Highest 3% below NY |
$1,038±$97Lowest 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,357Highest 34% below NY |
$3,712 44% below NY |
$3,700Lowest 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
35.3%±16.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±8.7 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% NY: 14% |
7.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NY: 54.3% |
80.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 37% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.7%±5.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Colonie and Chenango 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 | 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.