Is Peru, NY a Good Place to Live?
Peru is a small town of 1,807 in New York, with a median household income of $70,556 and a 1.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 98 (US average = 100), which is 2% below the national average.
Strengths: Peru stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Peru is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Peru city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 98.3Peru's overall cost of living index is 98.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Peru costs roughly 2% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Peru, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $195,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $988 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $70,556 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Peru is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Peru is served primarily by PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Peru, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | PERU CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Peru sees average highs of 28.1°F in January and 81.8°F in July, with 39.7 inches of annual precipitation and 50.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Peru, NY |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 28.1°F |
| Average High — July | 81.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Peru, NY | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,807 | — |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Peru
Peru, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: