What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ellicott has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).

Amsterdam has the most people working from home (10.5%).

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	Ellicott	Amsterdam
People
Population	8,659Lowest	18,166Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2%	-2.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	45.3±3.1Highest 14% above NY	39.5±1.2Lowest about the NY average
Kids under 18	20.7%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5%	23%±2.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Amsterdam and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.1%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9%	19.5%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Ellicott and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.7%Highest NY: 40.2%	22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±0.9Lowest NY: 7%	4%±1Highest NY: 7%
	Amsterdam and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,880±$7kHighest 29% below NY	$56,178±$8kLowest 35% below NY
	Ellicott and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$120,700±$10kLowest 72% below NY	$137,900±$11kHighest 67% below NY
	Amsterdam and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$875±$46Lowest 46% below NY	$1,006±$45Highest 38% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,662Lowest 60% below NY	$4,369Highest 34% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±9.3Highest NY: 52.1%	45.4%±6.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Ellicott and Amsterdam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Lowest NY: 14%	20.2%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	53%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	16 minLowest 52% below NY	21 minHighest 37% below NY
Work from home	6.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9%	10.5%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9%
	Amsterdam and Ellicott 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	#203 of 484 in NY	#474 of 484 in NY
School district	FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JAMESTOWN	AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	FALCONER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.5	—
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.