What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dix has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Reading has the most people working from home (11.7%).

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	Dix	Reading
People
Population	3,660Highest	1,637Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	50.1±2.8Highest 26% above NY	46.3±6.4Lowest 16% above NY
	Dix and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.7%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	17.2%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
	Reading and Dix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.9%±5Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Dix and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	37.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.9Lowest NY: 7%	4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7%
	Reading and Dix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,668±$8kLowest 38% below NY	$86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$165,000±$14kHighest 61% below NY	$160,200±$37kLowest 62% below NY
	Dix and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$718±$172Lowest 56% below NY	$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,141Lowest 52% below NY	$3,219Highest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.5%±13.6Highest NY: 52.1%	33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Dix and Reading 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%	5.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	81.4%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY	1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 39% below NY	28 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	4.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.7%±4.6Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#391 of 484 in NY	—
School district	WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9	—
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.