Compare towns

Amherst vs Ogden vs Pendleton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Amherst has the most renters (30.1% rent).
Ogden has the most affordable homes ($235k median).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).

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.

MeasureAmherstOgdenPendleton
People
Population
130,546Highest
20,208
7,034Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.9%
NY: +4.2%
+2.1%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
+10%Highest
NY: +4.2%
Median age
39.1±0.8Lowest
about the NY average
39.9±2.3
about the NY average
46.7±4.1Highest
17% above NY
Kids under 18
19.2%±1Lowest
NY: 20.5%
22.8%±2.7Highest
NY: 20.5%
21.6%±4.8
NY: 20.5%
Ogden and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.5%±0.9
NY: 17.9%
17.1%±2.3Lowest
NY: 17.9%
23%±4.3Highest
NY: 17.9%
Pendleton and Amherst 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
NY: 40.2%
38%
NY: 40.2%
34.9%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
13.3%±0.8Highest
NY: 7%
6%±1.3
NY: 7%
4%±2.1Lowest
NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$93,483±$2k
9% above NY
$91,563±$7kLowest
7% above NY
$113,750±$27kHighest
32% above NY
Pendleton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$311,600±$7kHighest
26% below NY
$235,200±$13kLowest
45% below NY
$294,300±$39k
31% below NY
Amherst and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,393±$45Highest
14% below NY
$1,233±$75
24% below NY
$994±$119Lowest
39% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,935Lowest
10% below NY
$6,496
about the NY average
$6,623Highest
about the NY average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
53.1%±4.3Highest
NY: 52.1%
44.5%±7.9
NY: 52.1%
6.6%±17.3Lowest
NY: 52.1%
Amherst and Ogden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.1%Highest
NY: 14%
7.5%Lowest
NY: 14%
9.4%
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
69.9%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
75.3%
NY: 54.3%
91.1%Highest
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1971Lowest
12 yrs newer than NY
1978Highest
19 yrs newer than NY
1978Highest
19 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
20 min
39% below NY
20 minLowest
40% below NY
23 minHighest
31% below NY
Work from home
15.9%±1.4
NY: 14.9%
13.9%±2.3Lowest
NY: 14.9%
18.4%±6.6Highest
NY: 14.9%
Pendleton and Amherst 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 #170 of 484 in NY #67 of 484 in NY
School district AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SPENCERPORT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL SPENCERPORT HIGH SCHOOL STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school
11.2
10.0Lowest
14.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.