What stands out worked out from the figures below

Arcade has the most renters (49.4% rent).

Ira has the most homeowners (88.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Arcade	Ira
People
Population	1,915Lowest	2,019Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-2.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.7±4.6Highest 12% above NY	42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY
	Arcade and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.9%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5%	20.2%±3.2Highest NY: 20.5%
	Ira and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%	14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.5%Highest NY: 40.2%	19%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.5%±6.5Highest NY: 7%	4.8%±2.3Lowest NY: 7%
	Arcade and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,695±$4kLowest 32% below NY	$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$172,300±$19kHighest 59% below NY	$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY
	Arcade and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$805±$176 50% below NY	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,938Highest 40% below NY	$3,594Lowest 45% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.7%±14Highest NY: 52.1%	14.3%±35.4Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Arcade and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.7%Highest NY: 14%	4.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%	88.9%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 14% below NY	30 minHighest 7% below NY
Work from home	6.3%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.9%±5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Ira and Arcade 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	#260 of 484 in NY	—
School district	—	CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.