Compare towns
Amherst vs Pendleton vs Vienna
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 youngest population (median age 39.1).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Vienna has the most affordable homes ($125k 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 | Vienna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
7,034 |
5,184Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
46.7±4.1 17% above NY |
53.5±6Highest 34% above NY |
| Vienna 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 NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.3%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Pendleton and Vienna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±5.4 NY: 17.9% |
| Pendleton and Vienna 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% NY: 40.2% |
26.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
4%±2.1 NY: 7% |
0.9%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2k 9% above NY |
$113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$83,244±$10kLowest 3% below 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 |
$294,300±$39k 31% below NY |
$125,000±$20kLowest 71% 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 |
$994±$119 39% below NY |
$928±$166Lowest 43% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935 10% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$2,680Lowest 59% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3 NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.1%±15.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Vienna and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% NY: 14% |
9.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
23 min 31% below NY |
28 minHighest 16% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.2%±5.8Lowest 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 | #436 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CAMDEN CENTRAL 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 |
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| 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.