What stands out worked out from the figures below

Duane has the most homeowners (97.1%).

Malone has the most people working from home (5.1%).

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	Duane	Malone
People
Population	226Lowest	11,673Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-14.5% NY: +4.2%
Median age	52.3±10.7Highest 31% above NY	42±1.8Lowest 6% above NY
	Duane and Malone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.9%±11.9Highest NY: 20.5%	15.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Duane and Malone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.1%±5Highest NY: 17.9%	15.6%±2.4Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Duane and Malone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	25.4%Highest NY: 40.2%	20.2%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±6.3Lowest NY: 7%	2.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7%
	Malone and Duane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,000±$31kHighest about the NY average	$67,969±$12kLowest 21% below NY
	Duane and Malone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$120,800±$75kLowest 71% below NY	$134,900±$21kHighest 68% below NY
	Malone and Duane are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$852±$35 47% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,243Lowest 66% below NY	$2,848Highest 57% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	32%±12.9Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Duane and Malone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Lowest NY: 14%	17.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	97.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	64.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY	1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 25% below NY	15 minLowest 54% below NY
Work from home	3.2%±3.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	5.1%±2.5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Malone and Duane 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	—	#444 of 484 in NY
School district	—	MALONE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1
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.