Compare towns
Auburn vs Java vs Amsterdam vs Lackawanna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most renters (51.4% rent).
Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).
Amsterdam has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Lackawanna has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Auburn | Java | Amsterdam | Lackawanna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,285Highest |
2,049Lowest |
18,166 |
19,753 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.2% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.1 3% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
39.5±1.2 about the NY average |
37.9±3Lowest 5% below NY |
| Java and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
23%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
24.6%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Lackawanna and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
16.8%±2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.5% NY: 40.2% |
20%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
5.2%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Lackawanna and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,052±$5kLowest 41% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$56,178±$8k 35% below NY |
$52,110±$5k 39% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$9k 64% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$137,900±$11kLowest 67% below NY |
$140,700±$8k 67% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$50 45% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY |
$872±$37 46% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,998 39% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$4,369Highest 34% below NY |
$3,745Lowest 43% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±7.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.4%±6.8 NY: 52.1% |
51.8%±8.5 NY: 52.1% |
| Auburn and Lackawanna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.2% NY: 14% |
23.2%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53% NY: 54.3% |
56.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 12 yrs older than NY |
1956Highest 3 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1954 5 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 40% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
20 min 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.7%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.8%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Amsterdam and Java 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 | #374 of 484 in NY | — | #474 of 484 in NY | #396 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LACKAWANNA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town | LACKAWANNA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.8Highest |
— | — | 10.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.