Compare towns
Copake vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Copake has the most expensive homes ($325k median).
Nelson has the most kids (20.1% under 18).
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 | Copake | Nelson |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,313Highest |
1,765Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 59.3±3Highest 49% above NY |
47.2±6.2Lowest 19% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Nelson and Copake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±7.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.7%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
46.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
6.2%±3.4Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $113,611±$40kHighest 32% above NY |
$82,063±$18kLowest 5% below NY |
| Copake and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,000±$49kHighest 23% below NY |
$230,000±$18kLowest 46% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$546Highest 26% below NY |
$773±$328Lowest 52% below NY |
| Copake and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,630Lowest 45% below NY |
$3,990Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±42.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
22.2%±40.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Copake and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest NY: 14% |
7.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
86.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Highest 11 yrs newer than NY |
1957Lowest 2 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 3% below NY |
29 minLowest 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±6.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Copake and Nelson 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 | #302 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | TACONIC HILLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | TACONIC HILLSJUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8 |
— |
| 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.