Perinton is adjacent to the coterminous town and village of East Rochester (west), and the towns of Victor (south), Macedon (east), Pittsford (west), and Penfield (north).

In 1788, Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham purchased 2.6 million acres (11,000 km2) of land in the wilderness of Western New York.

William Walker of Canandaigua purchased 36 square miles (93 km2) of the land and hired his brother Caleb and his cousin Glover Perrin (1762–1830) to survey and divide the land into 66 equal lots.

They settled in the flat and well-watered areas, specifically in the hamlet of Egypt (along the current Route 31) and Perinton Center (the intersection of Turk Hill and Ayrault roads).

Early commercial ventures included mills, blacksmith shops, taverns, and inns.

The village was an active canal port and also a booming industrial town, echoing a trend that was occurring nationwide.

Services, including a fire department, a public library, street lighting, and parks, enhanced the life of the town and village.

[citation needed] The town of Perinton was named one of the nation's 100 best places to live in 2008 by RelocateAmerica.com.

[citation needed] Richardson's Canal House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Among other hiking areas, the town includes the Crescent Trail, a 35-mile (56 km) system of footpaths through both public and private land.