What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ellery has the highest household income ($87k).

Chautauqua has the most people working from home (13.1%).

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	Ellery	Chautauqua
People
Population	4,073Highest	3,965Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-10.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	56.1±4.5Highest 41% above NY	46.3±4Lowest 16% above NY
Kids under 18	14.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	17.9%±4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Chautauqua and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.8%±6.6Highest NY: 17.9%	24.5%±4.4Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Highest NY: 40.2%	38.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7%	4.3%±1.6Lowest NY: 7%
	Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,833±$12kHighest about the NY average	$68,795±$18kLowest 20% below NY
	Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$235,900±$29kHighest 44% below NY	$189,300±$18kLowest 55% below NY
	Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$845±$189Highest 48% below NY	$670±$64Lowest 59% below NY
	Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,796Highest 42% below NY	$2,755Lowest 58% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	35.9%±16.8Lowest NY: 52.1%	38.6%±9.4Highest NY: 52.1%
	Chautauqua and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Lowest NY: 14%	18.3%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.5%Highest NY: 54.3%	80.8%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY	1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 29% below NY	22 minLowest 32% below NY
Work from home	4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.1%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#241 of 484 in NY	#129 of 484 in NY
School district	BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	CHAUTAUQUA LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	CHAUTAUQUA LAKE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	7.6Lowest	8.4Highest
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.