Compare towns
Cornwall vs Plattekill vs Highlands
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most expensive homes ($445k median).
Plattekill has the most affordable homes ($310k median).
Highlands has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.6%).
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 | Cornwall | Plattekill | Highlands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,755 |
10,406Lowest |
12,823Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% NY: +4.2% |
-0.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7Highest 6% above NY |
40.5±2.9 about the NY average |
31.1±2.9Lowest 22% below NY |
| Cornwall and Plattekill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.5%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±4 NY: 20.5% |
23.1%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Highlands and Plattekill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.3%±3.1 NY: 17.9% |
8.2%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Cornwall and Plattekill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
48.3% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.9 NY: 7% |
3%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
21.2%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,635±$11k 33% above NY |
$103,045±$27kLowest 20% above NY |
$116,111±$11kHighest 35% above NY |
| Highlands and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $444,800±$27kHighest 5% above NY |
$310,000±$28kLowest 27% below NY |
$337,700±$32k 20% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,803±$124 11% above NY |
$1,250±$623Lowest 23% below NY |
$2,640±$193Highest 63% above NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$7,155Lowest 9% above NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±11.6 NY: 52.1% |
45.2%±13.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.1%±8.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Highlands and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest NY: 14% |
4.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.5% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
66.9% NY: 54.3% |
43.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1957Lowest 2 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% below NY |
32 minHighest 3% below NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 16.1%±3.1 NY: 14.9% |
12.1%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
17.7%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Highlands and Cornwall 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 | #29 of 484 in NY | #434 of 484 in NY | #168 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CORNWALL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | WALLKILL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HIGHLAND FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CORNWALL CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | JAMES I O'NEILL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| 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.