What stands out worked out from the figures below

Champlain has the most affordable homes ($123k median).

Amherst has the most expensive homes ($312k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Champlain	Amherst
People
Population	1,270Lowest	130,546Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.3%Highest NY: +4.2%	+5.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	39.6±14Highest about the NY average	39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average
	Champlain and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.1%±7.2Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5%
	Amherst and Champlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.1%±3.9Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Champlain and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	57.3%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.2%±6.6Lowest NY: 7%	13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7%
	Amherst and Champlain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,000±$26kLowest 24% below NY	$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$122,700±$36kLowest 71% below NY	$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,071±$126Lowest 34% below NY	$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,626Lowest 60% below NY	$5,935Highest 10% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.6%±23.9Highest NY: 52.1%	53.1%±4.3Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Champlain and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.5%Highest NY: 14%	10.1%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59%Lowest NY: 54.3%	69.9%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Lowest 11 yrs older than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 39% below NY	20 minHighest 39% below NY
Work from home	8.7%±9Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Amherst and Champlain 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	#54 of 484 in NY	#72 of 484 in NY
School district	—	AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.2
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.