What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanover has the most affordable homes ($142k median).

Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).

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	Hanover	Amherst
People
Population	6,882Lowest	130,546Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	50.6±5.5Highest 27% above NY	39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average
Kids under 18	18%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5%
	Amherst and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Hanover and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23%Lowest NY: 40.2%	57.3%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%	13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,563±$9kLowest 17% below NY	$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$141,500±$16kLowest 67% below NY	$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$993±$105Lowest 39% below NY	$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,881Lowest 56% below NY	$5,935Highest 10% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±22.9Lowest NY: 52.1%	53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Amherst and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.2%Highest NY: 14%	10.1%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1950Lowest 9 yrs older than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 19% below NY	20 minLowest 39% below NY
Work from home	11.5%±5.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Amherst and Hanover 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	#196 of 484 in NY	#72 of 484 in NY
School district	FORESTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SILVER CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	SILVER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL	WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	9.3Lowest	11.2Highest
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.