Compare towns
Peru vs Ripton vs Windham 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).
Ripton has the most expensive homes ($394k median).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Colonie has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Ripton | Windham | Colonie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,710 |
508Lowest |
594 |
7,702Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.4±1.8 12% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Windham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.9%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,771±$22k 26% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$103,983±$6k 29% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Colonie 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. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$285,400±$10k 14% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,067±$173Lowest 24% below U.S. |
— | — | $1,570±$157Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,357 40% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,712Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.3%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Peru and Ripton 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% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Ripton 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | — |
| 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 | None yet | None yet | 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.