Compare towns
Peru vs Dickinson vs Au Sable
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 most expensive homes ($203k median).
Dickinson has the most people working from home (14.4%).
Au Sable has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.2%).
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 | Dickinson | Au Sable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710Highest |
5,001 |
3,156Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% NY: +4.2% |
-3.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
42.7±3.3 7% above NY |
45.4±8Highest 14% above NY |
| Au Sable and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.3%±7.7 NY: 20.5% |
| Peru and Au Sable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
21.1%±4Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±4.2Lowest 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+ | 33.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
32% NY: 40.2% |
19.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
6.2%±1.2 NY: 7% |
4.8%±3.1Lowest 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 | $101,771±$22kHighest 18% above NY |
$77,864±$14kLowest 9% below NY |
$95,069±$36k 11% above NY |
| Peru and Au Sable 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 |
$147,400±$17k 65% below NY |
$133,000±$43kLowest 69% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173 34% below NY |
$941±$68Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,074±$328Highest 34% below NY |
| Au Sable and Peru 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 |
$3,523 46% below NY |
$3,242Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
35.8%±13.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
47.3%±23 NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Au Sable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% NY: 14% |
8.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
12%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
75.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
76.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 37% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
26 minHighest 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
14.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest 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 | — | #248 of 484 in NY |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | AUSABLE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 11.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 3 photos → |
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.