Compare towns
Peru vs Durham vs Corning
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 highest household income ($102k).
Durham has the most people working from home (13%).
Corning has the most affordable homes ($168k 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 | Durham | Corning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710Highest |
2,641Lowest |
5,829 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-4.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
48.8±5.1Highest 23% above NY |
41.6±3.6 5% above NY |
| Durham and Corning 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% |
18.3%±5.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.8%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Corning 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% |
24.2%±7Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Durham and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% NY: 40.2% |
28.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
38%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
4.7%±1.2 NY: 7% |
| Peru and Corning 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 |
$81,471±$15kLowest 5% below NY |
$88,482±$10k about the NY average |
| Peru and Corning 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 |
$245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY |
$167,600±$14kLowest 60% below NY |
| Durham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173 34% below NY |
$994±$844Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,289±$219Highest 20% below NY |
| Corning 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 |
$3,728Lowest 43% below NY |
$3,895 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
39.1%±15 NY: 52.1% |
| Peru and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NY: 14% |
4.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
92%Highest NY: 54.3% |
86% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 37% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 minLowest 38% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.3%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Durham 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 | #100 of 484 in NY | #393 of 484 in NY |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
7.9 |
4.0Lowest |
| 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.