Investment securities - Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Investment Securities Aggregated by Investment Category (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	$ 566,983	$ 519,112
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	155	5,294
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	53,227	7,085
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	513,911	517,321
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	94,446	71,213
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains	10	129
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	10,380	896
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	84,076	70,446
U.S. Treasury securities
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	252,706	193,849
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	24	107
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	16,272	2,382
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	236,458	191,574
U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises state and municipals
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	23,616	33,435
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	2	343
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	453
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	23,165	33,778
State and Municipals, Taxable
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	69,950	69,066
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	49	994
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	10,027	1,082
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	59,972	68,978
State and Municipals, Tax-exempt
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	100,547	96,412
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains	80	2,452
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	11,355	614
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	89,272	98,250
State and Municipals Tax-exempt Bonds
Investment Securities
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	11,257	11,476
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains	10	126
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	978	56
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	10,289	11,546
Mortgage-backed Securities, U.S. Government agencies
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	1,290	1,790
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		53
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	14
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	1,276	1,843
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	18,168	18,802
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	1,894	392
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	16,274	18,410
Mortgage-backed Securities, U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	102,500	109,018
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		939
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	14,544	2,925
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	87,956	107,032
Held-to-maturity, Amortized Cost	65,021	40,935
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Gains		3
Held-to-maturity, Gross Unrealized Losses	7,508	448
Held-to-maturity, Fair value	57,513	40,490
Commercial mortgage-backed Securities, U.S. government-sponsored enterprises
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	12,374	12,542
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Gains		406
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	272
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	12,102	12,948
Corporate Debt Securities
Investment Securities
Available-for-sale, Amortized Cost	4,000	3,000
Available-for-sale, Gross Unrealized Losses	290	82
Available-for-sale, Fair Value	$ 3,710	$ 2,918

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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&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 http://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 http://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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://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 http://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 http://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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&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 http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&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: