Compare towns
Arcadia vs Mendon vs Lyons vs Wawarsing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lyons has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Wawarsing has the most renters (34.3% rent).
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 | Arcadia | Mendon | Lyons | Wawarsing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,601Highest |
1,113Lowest |
5,594 |
12,533 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±3.1 12% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5Highest 37% above U.S. |
41.1±5.4Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.4±3.3 17% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Wawarsing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyons and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wawarsing and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,398±$5kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$74,524±$12k 8% below U.S. |
$64,321±$5k 20% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Lyons are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,400±$12k 55% below U.S. |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$98,400±$12kLowest 70% below U.S. |
$236,900±$17k 29% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,002±$86 29% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651 13% below U.S. |
$920±$111Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$1,252±$227Highest 11% below U.S. |
| Wawarsing and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 26% above U.S. |
$5,342Highest 71% above U.S. |
$2,998Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,883 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.2%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
35.6%±12.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
73.4%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Wawarsing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
22%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Lyons 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 | #301 of 484 in NY | — | #388 of 484 in NY | #288 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NEWARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | LYONS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ELLENVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · RONDOUT VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | NEWARK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | LYONS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | ELLENVILLE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8 |
— | 9.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.