Compare towns
Peru vs Salem vs Andover
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 highest household income ($152k).
Salem has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
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 | Salem | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
2,611Highest |
616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47.5±4.2 22% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Andover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Salem and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±5.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salem and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,875±$83kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$83,398±$12kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$102,500±$38k 27% above U.S. |
| Peru and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$196,000±$26kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68k 15% above U.S. |
| Peru and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820 10% below U.S. |
$948±$40Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$3,908Lowest 25% above U.S. |
$5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±12.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Andover and Salem 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 | — | #376 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.