Compare towns
Amherst vs Pendleton vs Strafford
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).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k 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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
7,034 |
1,372Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.7±4.1 20% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Pendleton 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% |
23%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pendleton and Strafford 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% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$113,750±$27kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
| Pendleton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7k 6% below U.S. |
$294,300±$39kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45Highest about the U.S. average |
$994±$119Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
| Amherst and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$6,623 112% above U.S. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amherst and Strafford 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% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pendleton and Strafford 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 | — |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
14.5Highest |
— |
| 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.