Compare towns
Guilderland vs Wright vs Albany vs Westmere
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 highest household income ($112k).
Wright has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Albany has the most renters (61.8% rent).
Westmere has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Wright | Albany | Westmere |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 37,260 |
1,739Lowest |
100,492Highest |
8,334 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.4% NY: +4.2% |
+3.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.4±1.1 about the NY average |
51.4±4.7Highest 29% above NY |
32±0.6Lowest 20% below NY |
39.4±4 about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±1.6 NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
13.9%±0.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.7%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Westmere and Guilderland 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% |
21.4%±1.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
14%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Wright and Guilderland 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% |
24.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
45.3% NY: 40.2% |
50.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.2 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
17.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
7.3%±2.9 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $112,273±$7kHighest 31% above NY |
$86,250±$13k about the NY average |
$61,986±$3kLowest 28% below NY |
$88,378±$11k about the NY average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,400±$11kHighest 16% below NY |
$242,000±$36k 43% below NY |
$234,700±$7kLowest 45% below NY |
$313,400±$27k 26% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,564±$74 4% below NY |
$953±$79Lowest 41% below NY |
$1,216±$37 25% below NY |
$1,629±$120Highest about the NY average |
| Westmere and Guilderland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,314Highest 4% below NY |
$5,279 20% below NY |
$5,091Lowest 23% below NY |
$6,180 6% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.6%±6.3 NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±3.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±13.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Albany and Westmere are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
22.9%Highest NY: 14% |
7.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.3% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
38.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
52.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 34% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 min 39% below NY |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 16.4%±2.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
10.3%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Guilderland and Albany 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 | — | #355 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | GUILDERLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS · ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL | — | ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 15.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 11 photos → | 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.