What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gowanda has the most kids (30.2% under 18).

Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).

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	Gowanda	Sandgate
People
Population	2,683Highest	435Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	37.6±6.2Lowest 3% below U.S.	55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	30.2%±9.7Highest U.S.: 22%	13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Gowanda and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sandgate and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sandgate and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$51,828±$2kLowest 36% below U.S.	$69,167±$19kHighest 14% below U.S.
	Sandgate and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$96,400±$13kLowest 71% below U.S.	$193,800±$31kHighest 42% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$753±$51 47% below U.S.	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,663Lowest 15% below U.S.	$2,778Highest 11% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.4%±14.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Gowanda and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	9.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1959Highest 21 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.
Work from home	3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Sandgate and Gowanda 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

U.S. 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.