Compare towns
Clarkstown vs Pendleton vs Smithtown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clarkstown has the most renters (19.4% rent).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Smithtown has the highest household income ($153k).
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 | Clarkstown | Pendleton | Smithtown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 86,937 |
7,034Lowest |
116,097Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.4±1.1Lowest 12% above NY |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
44.4±0.7Lowest 12% above NY |
| Pendleton and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±1.1 NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.4%±0.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Pendleton and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% NY: 40.2% |
34.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
54.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.7 NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
6.9%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Smithtown and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $136,883±$6k 59% above NY |
$113,750±$27kLowest 32% above NY |
$152,636±$4kHighest 78% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $602,100±$10k 42% above NY |
$294,300±$39kLowest 31% below NY |
$669,900±$6kHighest 58% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,185±$88 35% above NY |
$994±$119Lowest 39% below NY |
$2,233±$96Highest 38% above NY |
| Smithtown and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$6,623Lowest about the NY average |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.5%±8.9 NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
62.8%±6.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Smithtown and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5% NY: 14% |
9.4%Highest NY: 14% |
4.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 11 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1968Lowest 9 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min about the NY average |
23 minLowest 31% below NY |
32 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 14.9%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
16.5%±1.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Smithtown 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 | #36 of 484 in NY | #67 of 484 in NY | #23 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NANUET UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT · CLARKSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | COMMACK UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT · HAUPPAUGE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CLARKSTOWN SOUTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | COMMACK HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
14.5Highest |
12.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.