What stands out worked out from the figures below

Denmark has the most expensive homes ($194k median).

Gaines has the most people working from home (13.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Denmark	Gaines
People
Population	2,630Lowest	3,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-4.5%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	48.9±7.9Highest 23% above NY	45.5±4.4Lowest 14% above NY
	Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5%	14.8%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±5.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	24.9%±6.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Gaines and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	14.7%Highest NY: 40.2%	14.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±1.3Lowest NY: 7%	8.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7%
	Gaines and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,270±$4kHighest 26% below NY	$56,582±$8kLowest 34% below NY
	Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$193,600±$25kHighest 54% below NY	$125,800±$19kLowest 70% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$952±$70Highest 41% below NY	$922±$72Lowest 43% below NY
	Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,310Highest 50% below NY	$3,157Lowest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37%±12.2Highest NY: 52.1%	18.4%±16.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.7%Highest NY: 14%	10.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%	74.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 6 yrs newer than NY	1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 29% below NY	28 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	6.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.6%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9%
	Gaines and Denmark 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	#142 of 484 in NY	—
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.