Compare towns
Aurelius vs Salem vs Montezuma
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Aurelius has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
Salem has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Montezuma has the most affordable homes ($116k 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 | Aurelius | Salem | Montezuma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,593 |
2,611Highest |
1,271Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.5% NY: +4.2% |
-3.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 49.1±4Highest 23% above NY |
47.5±4.2 19% above NY |
45.1±7.9Lowest 13% above NY |
| Aurelius and Salem 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% |
16.2%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
16.1%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Aurelius and Salem 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% |
22.9%±5.4 NY: 17.9% |
16.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Aurelius and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.6% NY: 40.2% |
31.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Highest NY: 7% |
2%±1.3 NY: 7% |
0.7%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Aurelius and Salem 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 |
$83,398±$12k about the NY average |
$73,250±$18kLowest 15% below NY |
| Aurelius and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,000±$14k 61% below NY |
$196,000±$26kHighest 54% below NY |
$116,200±$11kLowest 73% below NY |
| Salem and Aurelius 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 |
$948±$40 42% below NY |
$983±$192Highest 39% below NY |
| Montezuma and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 47% below NY |
$3,908Highest 41% below NY |
$2,310Lowest 65% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44%±17.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
44.1%±7.1 NY: 52.1% |
56.2%±21.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Montezuma and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.6%Highest NY: 14% |
9.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
83.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 43% below NY |
29 minHighest 10% below NY |
23 min 31% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
22.8%±12.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.2%±6.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Salem and Montezuma 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 | — | #376 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | SALEM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | SALEM HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
— |
| 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.