Compare towns
Amherst vs Pendleton vs Clarkstown
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).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Clarkstown has the most expensive homes ($602k median).
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 | Pendleton | Clarkstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
7,034Lowest |
86,937 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
44.4±1.1 12% above NY |
| Pendleton and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9 NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.6%±1.1Lowest 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% |
34.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
53.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
5.9%±0.7 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kLowest 9% above NY |
$113,750±$27k 32% above NY |
$136,883±$6kHighest 59% above NY |
| Clarkstown and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7k 26% below NY |
$294,300±$39kLowest 31% below NY |
$602,100±$10kHighest 42% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45 14% below NY |
$994±$119Lowest 39% below NY |
$2,185±$88Highest 35% above NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935Lowest 10% below NY |
$6,623 about the NY average |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3 NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.5%±8.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Clarkstown and Amherst 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% |
9.4% NY: 14% |
6.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
23 min 31% below NY |
32 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
14.9%±1.5Lowest 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 | #67 of 484 in NY | #36 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NANUET UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT · CLARKSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | CLARKSTOWN SOUTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.5Highest |
12.1 |
| 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.