Investment securities - Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Investment Securities Aggregated by Investment Category (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	$ 543,953	$ 519,112
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	93	5,294
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	66,343	7,085
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	477,703	517,321
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	91,179	71,213
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains	1	129
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	14,617	896
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	76,563	70,446
U.S. Treasury securities
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	199,937	193,849
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		107
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	19,640	2,382
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	180,297	191,574
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises state and municipals
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	16,955	33,435
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		343
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	585
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	16,370	33,778
State and municipals, Taxable
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	68,946	69,066
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		994
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	13,588	1,082
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	55,358	68,978
State and municipals, Tax-exempt
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	99,774	96,412
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	93	2,452
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	11,460	614
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	88,407	98,250
Tax-exempt state and municipals
Investment Securities
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	11,237	11,476
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains	1	126
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	841	56
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	10,397	11,546
Residential mortgage-backed securities, U.S. government agencies
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	982	1,790
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		53
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	40
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	942	1,843
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	17,304	18,802
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	3,016	392
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	14,288	18,410
Residential mortgage-backed securities, U.S. government-sponsored enterprises
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	141,231	109,018
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		939
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	20,112	2,925
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	121,119	107,032
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	62,638	40,935
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains		3
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	10,760	448
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	51,878	40,490
Commercial mortgage-backed Securities, U.S. government-sponsored enterprises
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	12,128	12,542
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		406
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	544
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	11,584	12,948
Corporate debt securities
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	4,000	3,000
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	374
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	$ 3,626	2,918
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses		$ 82

Amount, before tax, of unrealized gain in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before tax, of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amortized cost of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258926&loc=SL82898722-210454

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258926&loc=SL82898722-210454

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124260329&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255206&loc=SL82895884-210446

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919253-210447

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=SL6953401-111524

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27232-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrecognized gain on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesAccumulatedUnrecognizedHoldingLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126970911&loc=SL120269820-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfTradingSecuritiesAndOtherTradingAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_TaxableMunicipalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_NontaxableMunicipalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=pfis_StateAndMunicipalTaxExemptBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=pfis_MortgageBackedUsGovernmentAgenciesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=pfis_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: