What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has the most expensive homes ($506k median).

Middletown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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	Freeport	Middletown
People
Population	44,088Highest	30,289Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+8%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40±1.6Highest about the NY average	36.3±2.4Lowest 9% below NY
	Freeport and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5%	25.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	15.1%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9%	13.6%±1.8Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Freeport and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Highest NY: 40.2%	20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1Highest NY: 7%	5.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Freeport and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$120,625±$11kHighest 40% above NY	$79,346±$8kLowest 8% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$505,900±$20kHighest 19% above NY	$308,600±$14kLowest 27% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,077±$169Highest 28% above NY	$1,661±$106Lowest about the NY average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY	$6,773Lowest about the NY average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.1%±12Lowest NY: 52.1%	55.3%±5.9Highest NY: 52.1%
	Middletown and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest NY: 14%	13.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	51.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 6 yrs older than NY	1960Highest 1 yr newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minLowest 10% above NY	36 minHighest 10% above NY
Work from home	9.8%±1.8Highest NY: 14.9%	6%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#150 of 484 in NY
School district	—	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
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.