What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ellington has the most homeowners (88.4%).

Massena has the most renters (44.6% rent).

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	Ellington	Massena
People
Population	1,554Lowest	10,238Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-8.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-7.2%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.1±4.8Lowest 6% above NY	42.6±4.7Highest 7% above NY
	Massena and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.1%±4.2Highest NY: 20.5%	19.4%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9%	20.4%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%
	Massena and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	12.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	25.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1.7Highest NY: 7%	2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,000±$15kHighest 24% below NY	$51,458±$7kLowest 40% below NY
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$114,300±$13kHighest 73% below NY	$94,400±$15kLowest 78% below NY
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$681±$342Lowest 58% below NY	$722±$44Highest 55% below NY
	Massena and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,472Lowest 62% below NY	$3,218Highest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	57.8%±11.4Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18%Lowest NY: 14%	24.3%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	55.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY	1954Lowest 5 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 24% below NY	18 minLowest 45% below NY
Work from home	6.6%±5.5Highest NY: 14.9%	5.2%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Ellington and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.