Compare towns
Peru vs Windham vs Williamson 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).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k median).
Williamson has the oldest housing (typical home built 1965).
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 | Windham | Williamson | Au Sable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,710 |
1,432Lowest |
6,823Highest |
3,156 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.3% NY: +4.2% |
-1.8% NY: +4.2% |
+1.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.6Lowest about the NY average |
56.5±5.1Highest 42% above NY |
40.9±4.2 about the NY average |
45.4±8 14% above NY |
| Windham 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% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.6%±3.3 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% |
31.4%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2% NY: 40.2% |
43.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
34.2% NY: 40.2% |
19.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±5.4 NY: 7% |
6.6%±5Highest NY: 7% |
4.5%±2Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±3.1 NY: 7% |
| Windham and Peru 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 |
$76,477±$17kLowest 11% below NY |
$90,515±$14k 5% above 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 |
$315,600±$74kHighest 26% below NY |
$192,700±$18k 55% below NY |
$133,000±$43kLowest 69% below NY |
| Windham 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 |
$850±$295 48% below NY |
$659±$304Lowest 59% 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 | $4,357 34% below NY |
$3,363 49% below NY |
$5,172Highest 21% below NY |
$3,242Lowest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.8%±25.3 NY: 52.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
25.1%±12.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
47.3%±23 NY: 52.1% |
| Windham and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% NY: 14% |
7.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
9% NY: 14% |
12%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% NY: 54.3% |
89%Highest NY: 54.3% |
86.9% NY: 54.3% |
76.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1965Lowest 6 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 37% below NY |
27 minHighest 18% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
26 min 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.2%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
16.2%±6.5 NY: 14.9% |
3.4%±3.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Windham and Williamson 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 | — | #221 of 484 in NY | #248 of 484 in NY |
| School district | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | WILLIAMSON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | PERU HIGH SCHOOL | — | WILLIAMSON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | AUSABLE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 8.3Lowest |
11.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.