Compare towns
Gaines vs Seneca
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gaines has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Seneca has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Gaines | Seneca |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,216Highest |
2,622Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.5±4.4Highest 14% above NY |
44.5±6.2Lowest 12% above NY |
| Gaines and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Seneca and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±6.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Gaines and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $56,582±$8kLowest 34% below NY |
$90,658±$21kHighest 5% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,800±$19kLowest 70% below NY |
$192,700±$9kHighest 55% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $922±$72Lowest 43% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,157Highest 52% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.4%±16.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Gaines and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest NY: 14% |
6.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% below NY |
27 minLowest 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.6%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Gaines and Seneca 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.