Compare towns
Afton vs Northfield vs Gaines
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Afton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Northfield has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
Gaines has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Afton | Northfield | Gaines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,733Lowest |
5,920Highest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.6±6.3Highest 22% above U.S. |
36.4±4.1Lowest 6% below U.S. |
45.5±4.4 17% above U.S. |
| Afton and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Afton and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gaines and Afton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±3.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,736±$13kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$71,768±$13kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$56,582±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Northfield and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,700±$23kLowest 62% below U.S. |
$274,400±$21kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$125,800±$19k 62% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $826±$212Lowest 42% below U.S. |
$1,018±$207Highest 28% below U.S. |
$922±$72 35% below U.S. |
| Northfield and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,395 9% above U.S. |
$4,878Highest 56% above U.S. |
$3,157Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66%±45.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.4%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Afton and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1956 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 4.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Gaines and Northfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #418 of 484 in NY | #42 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Paine Mountain Union School District #68 | — |
| High school in town | AFTON JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Northfield Middle/High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.7Lowest |
10.0Highest |
— |
| 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.