What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most homeowners (93.4%).

Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).

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	Deerfield	Amherst
People
Population	3,933Lowest	130,546Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.6±4.1Highest 17% above NY	39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average
Kids under 18	19.7%±3.8Highest NY: 20.5%	19.2%±1Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Deerfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.6%±4.4Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Deerfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	57.3%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.6Lowest NY: 7%	13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,029±$7kHighest 18% above NY	$93,483±$2kLowest 9% above NY
	Deerfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$231,300±$16kLowest 45% below NY	$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$763±$122Lowest 53% below NY	$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,990Lowest 39% below NY	$5,935Highest 10% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.1%±32.8Lowest NY: 52.1%	53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Amherst and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest NY: 14%	10.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 36% below NY	20 minLowest 39% below NY
Work from home	12.5%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Amherst and Deerfield 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	#120 of 484 in NY	#72 of 484 in NY
School district	WHITESBORO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.2
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.