What stands out worked out from the figures below

Aurelius has the shortest commute (19 min average).

Reading has the most people working from home (11.7%).

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	Aurelius	Reading
People
Population	2,593Highest	1,637Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	49.1±4Highest 23% above NY	46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.1%±4Highest NY: 20.5%	17.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.7%±4.4Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	37.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.8Lowest NY: 7%	4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7%
	Reading and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,079±$16kHighest 9% above NY	$86,131±$9kLowest about the NY average
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$167,000±$14kHighest 61% below NY	$160,200±$37kLowest 62% below NY
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$813±$200Lowest 50% below NY	$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY
	Reading and Aurelius are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,516Highest 47% below NY	$3,219Lowest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44%±17.5Highest NY: 52.1%	33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Aurelius and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Highest NY: 14%	5.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	81.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY	1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 43% below NY	28 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	4.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.7%±4.6Highest NY: 14.9%
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.