What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ballston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21%).

Red Hook has the most people working from home (22.9%).

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	Ballston	Red Hook
People
Population	12,433Highest	11,108Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+21%Highest NY: +4.2%	-12.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.6±2.1Lowest 7% above NY	42.7±2.4Highest 7% above NY
	Red Hook and Ballston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±4Highest NY: 20.5%	17.7%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Ballston and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.6%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.2%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Red Hook and Ballston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	57.5%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%	14.7%±2.3Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,161±$14kHighest 35% above NY	$112,363±$7kLowest 31% above NY
	Ballston and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,200±$16kLowest 12% below NY	$430,000±$25kHighest about the NY average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,688±$220Highest 4% above NY	$1,436±$101Lowest 11% below NY
	Ballston and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,103Lowest 7% below NY	$8,229Highest 25% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.2%±9.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	62.8%±9.6Highest NY: 52.1%
Below poverty line	4.9%Lowest NY: 14%	8.2%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	76.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY	1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 17% below NY	26 minLowest 20% below NY
Work from home	19.3%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	22.9%±5.1Highest NY: 14.9%
	Red Hook and Ballston 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	#33 of 484 in NY	#181 of 484 in NY
School district	BALLSTON SPA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · BURNT HILLS-BALLSTON LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	RED HOOK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	BALLSTON SPA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	RED HOOK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8Highest	10.4Lowest
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.