What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ava has the most people working from home (5.9%).

Pike has the shortest commute (22 min average).

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	Ava	Pike
People
Population	633Lowest	812Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2%	-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.9±8.7Lowest 18% above NY	48.3±4.4Highest 21% above NY
	Pike and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.7%±4.4Highest NY: 20.5%	17.6%±4.2Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Ava and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.6%±4.6Lowest NY: 17.9%	25.2%±6Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	9.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	15.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±2.5Lowest NY: 7%	2.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7%
	Pike and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,875±$21kHighest 16% below NY	$71,250±$11kLowest 17% below NY
	Ava and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$125,700±$36kLowest 70% below NY	$129,100±$18kHighest 70% below NY
	Pike and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$750±$249Lowest 54% below NY	$810±$762Highest 50% below NY
	Pike and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,793Lowest 73% below NY	$2,947Highest 55% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	13.9%±67.6Lowest NY: 52.1%	83.7%±13.7Highest NY: 52.1%
	Pike and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.1%Highest NY: 14%	9%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	80.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY	1965Lowest 6 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest about the NY average	22 minLowest 33% below NY
Work from home	5.9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9%	2.5%±1.7Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Ava and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.