Compare towns
Peru vs Putney vs Colonie
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most affordable homes ($203k median).
Putney has the most renters (27.2% rent).
Colonie has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.2%).
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 | Putney | Colonie |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,710 |
2,622Lowest |
7,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6 5% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
43.4±1.8Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Colonie and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Peru and Colonie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Colonie and Putney 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,771±$22k 26% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$103,983±$6kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| 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±$38kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$285,400±$10k 14% below U.S. |
| Putney and Colonie are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173 24% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$1,570±$157Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,357 40% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$3,712Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.3%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peru and Putney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Putney and Colonie 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 | #32 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | — |
| High school in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.