Compare towns
Covert vs Hartwick vs Romulus vs Pine Plains
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Covert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).
Hartwick has the most people working from home (22.2%).
Romulus has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
Pine Plains has the most expensive homes ($318k median).
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 | Covert | Hartwick | Romulus | Pine Plains |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
2,143 |
3,110Highest |
2,243 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.5% NY: +4.2% |
-25.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-10.3% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.3Highest 27% above NY |
49.3±5.4 24% above NY |
36.8±2.7Lowest 8% below NY |
50.1±6.6 26% above NY |
| Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
13%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.5%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±5.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±2.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±3.1 NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±4.4 NY: 17.9% |
| Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.7% NY: 40.2% |
41.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
40.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1 NY: 7% |
3.5%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
0.6%±0.6Lowest NY: 7% |
2.9%±2 NY: 7% |
| Hartwick and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,688±$16k 12% below NY |
$81,196±$6k 6% below NY |
$69,447±$6kLowest 19% below NY |
$102,109±$18kHighest 19% above NY |
| Pine Plains and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $227,200±$48k 46% below NY |
$173,500±$36kLowest 59% below NY |
$178,800±$47k 58% below NY |
$317,600±$32kHighest 25% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,257±$236 22% below NY |
$1,000±$174Lowest 38% below NY |
$1,059±$93 35% below NY |
$1,508±$291Highest 7% below NY |
| Pine Plains and Covert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,724 43% below NY |
$2,912 56% below NY |
$2,688Lowest 59% below NY |
$4,614Highest 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.1 NY: 52.1% |
67.3%±19.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
30.6%±39.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Romulus and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% NY: 14% |
7.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
18.6%Highest NY: 14% |
9.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80% NY: 54.3% |
70.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 17 yrs older than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 30% below NY |
18 minLowest 44% below NY |
23 min 29% below NY |
27 minHighest 19% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.1 NY: 14.9% |
22.2%±13.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.6%±4.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.7%±6.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Hartwick and Covert 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 | — | — | #449 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | SOUTH SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | PINE PLAINS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — | STISSING MOUNTAIN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 2 photos → | 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.