What stands out worked out from the figures below

Gowanda has the most people working from home (3.3%).

Whitehall has grown the fastest since 2010 (-5.7%).

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	Whitehall
People
Population	2,683Lowest	2,690Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-5.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	37.6±6.2Highest 6% below NY	36.8±4.8Lowest 8% below NY
	Gowanda and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	30.2%±9.7Highest NY: 20.5%	26.7%±5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Gowanda and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±5.8Highest NY: 17.9%	17.8%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Gowanda and Whitehall 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 NY: 40.2%	13.6%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.3Lowest NY: 7%	2.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7%
	Whitehall 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±$2kHighest 40% below NY	$47,683±$8kLowest 45% below NY
	Gowanda and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$96,400±$13kLowest 77% below NY	$102,000±$9kHighest 76% below NY
	Whitehall and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$753±$51Lowest 54% below NY	$975±$96Highest 40% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,663Lowest 60% below NY	$3,178Highest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.4%±14.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	63.6%±18.4Highest NY: 52.1%
	Whitehall and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.9%Lowest NY: 14%	29.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	61.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 21 yrs older than NY	1938 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 36% below NY	26 minHighest 21% below NY
Work from home	3.3%±1.9Highest NY: 14.9%	0.6%±0.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Gowanda and Whitehall 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.