What stands out worked out from the figures below

Day has the shortest commute (38 min average).

Tompkins has the most people working from home (23.5%).

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	Day	Tompkins
People
Population	843Lowest	1,187Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+3.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	61.4±2.4Highest 54% above NY	57.6±5.8Lowest 45% above NY
	Day and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	7.8%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5%	8.8%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5%
	Tompkins and Day are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.6%±5.8Highest NY: 17.9%	30.6%±4.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Day and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.5%Highest NY: 40.2%	18.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.8Lowest NY: 7%	3.9%±2Highest NY: 7%
	Tompkins and Day are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,727±$16kLowest 33% below NY	$61,103±$27kHighest 29% below NY
	Tompkins and Day are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$224,400±$49kHighest 47% below NY	$185,700±$23kLowest 56% below NY
	Day and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$483±$80 70% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,765Highest 58% below NY	$2,487Lowest 62% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	0%±73.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Day and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.2%Highest NY: 14%	8.8%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%	91.1%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 13 yrs newer than NY	1992Highest 33 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minLowest 16% above NY	70 minHighest 115% above NY
Work from home	7.4%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9%	23.5%±13.3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Tompkins and Day are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.