Compare towns
Peru vs Unity vs Dorset
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).
Unity has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
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 | Unity | Dorset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 434Lowest |
1,375 |
2,092Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -9.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±8.6Lowest 16% above U.S. |
58±4.5Highest 49% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dorset and Peru 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. |
$87,500±$16kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
| Peru and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$105k 20% above U.S. |
$276,100±$29kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,271±$820Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$1,625±$804Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
| Unity and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$5,394 73% above U.S. |
$7,489Highest 140% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29%±47.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Unity 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% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.3%±16.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Unity School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.