Compare towns
Freeport vs Peekskill vs Wallkill vs Merrick
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the youngest population (median age 40).
Peekskill has the most renters (40.6% rent).
Wallkill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Merrick has the most people working from home (24.5%).
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.
| Measure | Freeport | Peekskill | Wallkill | Merrick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 44,088Highest |
25,625 |
31,023 |
21,744Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.8% NY: +4.2% |
+7.8% NY: +4.2% |
+11.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the NY average |
41.8±2.6 5% above NY |
41.2±2.2 4% above NY |
42±2Highest 6% above NY |
| Merrick and Peekskill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
16.1%±2.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±2.3 NY: 20.5% |
23.4%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Merrick and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.3%±2.4 NY: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.6 NY: 17.9% |
18.4%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Merrick and Peekskill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
37.8% NY: 40.2% |
28% NY: 40.2% |
64.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1 NY: 7% |
5.5%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
7.8%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
5.6%±2 NY: 7% |
| Wallkill and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $120,625±$11k 40% above NY |
$85,954±$5kLowest about the NY average |
$96,076±$4k 12% above NY |
$185,740±$13kHighest 116% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $505,900±$20k 19% above NY |
$395,600±$30k 7% below NY |
$353,200±$13kLowest 17% below NY |
$771,900±$25kHighest 82% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,077±$169 28% above NY |
$2,036±$125 26% above NY |
$1,790±$80Lowest 10% above NY |
$2,919±$415Highest 80% above NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$7,842 19% above NY |
$6,623Lowest about the NY average |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.1%±12 NY: 52.1% |
58.7%±10Highest NY: 52.1% |
52.8%±8.1 NY: 52.1% |
47.2%±28Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Peekskill and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% NY: 14% |
11.9%Highest NY: 14% |
11% NY: 14% |
2.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.9% NY: 54.3% |
59.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
64.1% NY: 54.3% |
96.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 6 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 10% above NY |
37 min 14% above NY |
31 minLowest 5% below NY |
39 minHighest 18% above NY |
| Work from home | 9.8%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.4%±3.1 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
24.5%±4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #360 of 484 in NY | #476 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | PEEKSKILL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | PEEKSKILL HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.0 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.