What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boonville has the most expensive homes ($219k median).

Ava has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

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	Boonville	Ava
People
Population	4,465Highest	633Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.9±5.4 18% above NY	46.9±8.7 18% above NY
Kids under 18	18.7%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.7%±4.4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Ava and Boonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9%	12.6%±4.6Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.1%Highest NY: 40.2%	9.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 7%	1.6%±2.5Highest NY: 7%
	Ava and Boonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,253±$14kLowest 21% below NY	$71,875±$21kHighest 16% below NY
	Ava and Boonville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,400±$23kHighest 48% below NY	$125,700±$36kLowest 70% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$813±$163Highest 50% below NY	$750±$249Lowest 54% below NY
	Boonville and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,787Highest 58% below NY	$1,793Lowest 73% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55%±19Highest NY: 52.1%	13.9%±67.6Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Boonville and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Lowest NY: 14%	17.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	84.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 13 yrs newer than NY	1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 12% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	8.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9%	5.9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Boonville and Ava 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	#204 of 484 in NY	—
School district	ADIRONDACK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	ADIRONDACK HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.6	—
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.