What stands out worked out from the figures below

Caroga has the shortest commute (33 min average).

Tompkins has the most people working from home (23.5%).

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	Caroga	Tompkins
People
Population	983Lowest	1,187Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	+3.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	55.4±5.3Lowest 39% above NY	57.6±5.8Highest 45% above NY
	Tompkins and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	10.6%±3.8Highest NY: 20.5%	8.8%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Caroga and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.2%±6.8Lowest NY: 17.9%	30.6%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9%
	Tompkins and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	18.8%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%	3.9%±2Highest NY: 7%
	Tompkins and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,395±$18kHighest 24% below NY	$61,103±$27kLowest 29% below NY
	Caroga and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$172,300±$25kLowest 59% below NY	$185,700±$23kHighest 56% below NY
	Tompkins and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$483±$80 70% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,547Highest 61% below NY	$2,487Lowest 62% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	0%±73.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Caroga and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest NY: 14%	8.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	91.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 11 yrs older than NY	1992Highest 33 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest about the NY average	70 minHighest 115% above NY
Work from home	3.6%±3Lowest NY: 14.9%	23.5%±13.3Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
School district	WHEELERVILLE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	None in town	—
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.