What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freedom has the most homeowners (88.9%).

Waterville has the most people working from home (14.8%).

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	Freedom	Waterville
People
Population	2,483Highest	1,731Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6%Highest NY: +4.2%	-6.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	43.2±7Lowest 9% above NY	44.9±4.5Highest 13% above NY
	Waterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.6%±4.3Lowest NY: 20.5%	18.8%±3.6Highest NY: 20.5%
	Waterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%	24.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±2.8Highest NY: 7%	1.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%
	Freedom and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$73,646±$24kLowest 14% below NY	$82,273±$13kHighest 4% below NY
	Waterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$176,900±$19kHighest 58% below NY	$170,100±$12kLowest 60% below NY
	Freedom and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY	$820±$132Highest 49% below NY
	Waterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,443Highest 48% below NY	$3,425Lowest 48% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	10.1%±32.5Lowest NY: 52.1%	24%±10.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Waterville and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Lowest NY: 14%	8.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	54.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 15% below NY	22 minLowest 34% below NY
Work from home	6.9%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	14.8%±3Highest NY: 14.9%
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.