What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cheektowaga has the most affordable homes ($186k median).

Clay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).

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	Cheektowaga	Clay
People
Population	76,056Highest	59,995Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	39.4±1.2Lowest about the NY average	39.8±1Highest about the NY average
	Clay and Cheektowaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 20.5%	20.1%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Clay and Cheektowaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20%±1.2Highest NY: 17.9%	18.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Cheektowaga and Clay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	38.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1Highest NY: 7%	4.4%±0.7Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,613±$2kLowest 20% below NY	$90,707±$6kHighest 6% above NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,500±$5kLowest 56% below NY	$205,900±$6kHighest 51% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,055±$23Lowest 35% below NY	$1,240±$40Highest 24% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,513Lowest 31% below NY	$5,087Highest 23% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.5%±4.8Highest NY: 52.1%	46.6%±5.6Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Cheektowaga and Clay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest NY: 14%	8.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	71.2%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY	1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 37% below NY	21 minHighest 34% below NY
Work from home	11.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.1%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Clay and Cheektowaga 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	#315 of 484 in NY	#249 of 484 in NY
School district	—	LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.0
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.