Compare towns
Chenango vs Middlebury vs Parma
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chenango has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Parma has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Chenango | Middlebury | Parma |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,787 |
7,220Lowest |
16,111Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±2.8Highest 5% above U.S. |
23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
40.4±3.3 4% above U.S. |
| Chenango and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chenango and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
$86,250±$18kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$93,558±$8kHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,000±$9kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$417,400±$31kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$220,000±$15k 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$97Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,201±$120 15% below U.S. |
$1,216±$111Highest 14% below U.S. |
| Parma and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,700Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$6,795Highest 118% above U.S. |
$5,549 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.7%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±15.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.8%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
15.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.8%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Chenango 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 | #233 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT | #88 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | — | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.