Compare towns
Boston vs Amherst vs Newstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the oldest housing (typical home built 1966).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Newstead has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Boston | Amherst | Newstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,948Lowest |
130,546Highest |
8,681 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 51.5±3.5 29% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
52±2.6Highest 31% above NY |
| Newstead and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.6%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Amherst and Newstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.9%±4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Newstead and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.1%±1.2 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,482±$16k 8% above NY |
$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
$71,200±$13kLowest 17% below NY |
| Amherst and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,900±$18k 37% below NY |
$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
$235,500±$16kLowest 44% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,347±$49 17% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
$772±$133Lowest 52% below NY |
| Amherst and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,758 28% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
$4,634Lowest 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±33.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3 NY: 52.1% |
50.3%±23.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Boston and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
6.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
79.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 7 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 27% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
24 minHighest 25% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.5%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
14.1%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
| Amherst and Newstead 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 | #414 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY | #123 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HAMBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AKRON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | AKRON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.