Compare towns
Peru vs Middlesex 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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).
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 | Middlesex | Au Sable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710Highest |
1,407Lowest |
3,156 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
55.3±6Highest 39% above NY |
45.4±8 14% above NY |
| Middlesex and Au Sable 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% |
18%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.6%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.1% NY: 40.2% |
19.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4Highest NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±3.1 NY: 7% |
| Peru and Au Sable 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 |
$75,750±$21kLowest 12% 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±$38k 52% below NY |
$208,100±$62kHighest 51% below NY |
$133,000±$43kLowest 69% below NY |
| Middlesex and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173Lowest 34% below NY |
$1,406±$672Highest 13% below NY |
$1,074±$328 34% below NY |
| Middlesex and Au Sable 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 |
$3,459 47% below NY |
$3,242Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
29.1%±39Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
12%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NY: 54.3% |
90.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
76.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1974Lowest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 37% below NY |
25 min 22% below NY |
26 minHighest 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
18.2%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Middlesex 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 | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | 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 | 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.