Compare towns
Amherst vs Cornwall vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($458k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Amherst | Cornwall | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
1,208 |
1,113Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Amherst and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23k 25% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$357,000±$44k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,125±$206Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 90% above U.S. |
$6,726Highest 116% above U.S. |
$5,342Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Mendon 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 | #72 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.