What stands out worked out from the figures below

Corning has the most affordable homes ($168k median).

Trenton has the most people working from home (15.1%).

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	Corning	Trenton
People
Population	5,829Highest	4,257Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-4.5%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	41.6±3.6Lowest 5% above NY	44.3±2.2Highest 11% above NY
	Trenton and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.8%±4Highest NY: 20.5%	24.4%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Corning and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±3.6 NY: 17.9%	22.1%±4.2 NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38%Lowest NY: 40.2%	38.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.2Highest NY: 7%	3.6%±2Lowest NY: 7%
	Corning and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,482±$10kLowest about the NY average	$88,807±$13kHighest 3% above NY
	Trenton and Corning are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$167,600±$14kLowest 60% below NY	$225,400±$32kHighest 47% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,289±$219Highest 20% below NY	$895±$397Lowest 45% below NY
	Corning and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,895Highest 41% below NY	$3,887Lowest 41% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.1%±15Highest NY: 52.1%	34.4%±31.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Corning and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.2%Highest NY: 14%	7.9%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86%Lowest NY: 54.3%	86.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY	1961Highest 2 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 38% below NY	23 minHighest 30% below NY
Work from home	8.3%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.1%±6Highest NY: 14.9%
	Trenton and Corning 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	#393 of 484 in NY	#117 of 484 in NY
School district	CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	HOLLAND PATENT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	CORNING PAINTED POST HIGH SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER	HOLLAND PATENT CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	4.0Lowest	9.5Highest
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.