Compare towns
Albany vs Bethlehem vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Albany has the most affordable homes ($235k median).
Bethlehem has the most homeowners (73%).
Mount Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
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 | Albany | Bethlehem | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 100,492Highest |
35,139Lowest |
72,427 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+9.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 32±0.6Lowest 20% below NY |
45.3±2Highest 14% above NY |
40.7±1.3 about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
21.1%±1.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Mount Vernon and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.2%±1.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.1%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% NY: 40.2% |
64.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
35.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 17.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
4.3%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
6.6%±1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,986±$3kLowest 28% below NY |
$123,893±$9kHighest 44% above NY |
$78,779±$4k 8% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,700±$7kLowest 45% below NY |
$370,400±$10k 13% below NY |
$484,000±$33kHighest 14% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$37Lowest 25% below NY |
$1,721±$81Highest 6% above NY |
$1,629±$56 about the NY average |
| Bethlehem and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,091Lowest 23% below NY |
$7,842 19% above NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±3.3 NY: 52.1% |
40%±7.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.8%±5.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Albany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.9%Highest NY: 14% |
5%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 38.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
73%Highest NY: 54.3% |
42.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1953 6 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
22 min 33% below NY |
35 minHighest 7% above NY |
| Work from home | 13.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
19.6%±2.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.7%±1.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #355 of 484 in NY | #34 of 484 in NY | #364 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS · ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · RAVENA-COEYMANS-SELKIRK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | MOUNT VERNON SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL | BETHLEHEM CENTRAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | MOUNT VERNON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.2Highest |
13.0Lowest |
13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 16 photos → | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.