What stands out worked out from the figures below

Great Bend has the most expensive homes ($173k median).

North Collins has the most people working from home (9.7%).

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	Great Bend	North Collins
People
Population	938Lowest	1,081Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+1.2%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.5±16.4Lowest about the NY average	40.6±2.8Highest about the NY average
	North Collins and Great Bend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.9%±9Lowest NY: 20.5%	24.1%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	North Collins and Great Bend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	2.8%±4.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	13%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	23.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.1Lowest NY: 7%	3.9%±2.2Highest NY: 7%
	North Collins and Great Bend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	—	$66,607±$24k 23% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$172,600±$123kHighest 59% below NY	$123,100±$15kLowest 71% below NY
	Great Bend and North Collins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$853±$280 47% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,728Lowest 59% below NY	$4,020Highest 39% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.4%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	35.4%±15.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Great Bend and North Collins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	31.3%Highest NY: 14%	13.8%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	54.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY	1946Lowest 13 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 43% below NY	24 minHighest 27% below NY
Work from home	0%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9%	9.7%±6.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	North Collins and Great Bend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#411 of 484 in NY
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.