Compare towns
Guilderland vs Long Beach vs Wright vs Halfmoon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Guilderland has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Long Beach has the most expensive homes ($696k median).
Wright has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Halfmoon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.2%).
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 | Guilderland | Long Beach | Wright | Halfmoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 37,260Highest |
34,756 |
1,739Lowest |
26,245 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% NY: +4.2% |
+5.3% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+19.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1Lowest about the NY average |
43.5±1.9 9% above NY |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
42.1±2 6% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
13.8%±1.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
19.8%±2.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Guilderland and Halfmoon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19%±1.5 NY: 17.9% |
21.8%±2Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
18.8%±1.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Long Beach and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
55.8% NY: 40.2% |
24.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
46.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.2Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
4%±1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,273±$7k 31% above NY |
$140,739±$7kHighest 64% above NY |
$86,250±$13kLowest about the NY average |
$100,712±$7k 17% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,400±$11k 16% below NY |
$696,400±$28kHighest 64% above NY |
$242,000±$36kLowest 43% below NY |
$387,700±$21k 9% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$74 4% below NY |
$2,515±$168Highest 55% above NY |
$953±$79Lowest 41% below NY |
$1,559±$66 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,314 4% below NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$5,279Lowest 20% below NY |
$5,810 12% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.6%±6.3 NY: 52.1% |
54.4%±7.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
38.3%±8.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.9% NY: 14% |
7.6%Highest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
4.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
66% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
67.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1961Lowest 2 yrs newer than NY |
1983 24 yrs newer than NY |
1996Highest 37 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 34% below NY |
41 minHighest 27% above NY |
33 min about the NY average |
24 min 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 16.4%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
18.8%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
16.3%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Long Beach and Guilderland 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 | #76 of 484 in NY | #56 of 484 in NY | — | #206 of 484 in NY |
| School district | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | LONG BEACH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | MECHANICVILLE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — | MECHANICVILLE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | — | 12.4Highest |
| 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.