Compare towns
Highland vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Highland has the most people working from home (17.4%).
Chester has grown the fastest since 2010 (-8%).
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 | Highland | Chester |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,234Lowest |
3,074Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 55.4±4.4Highest 39% above NY |
54.1±6.7Lowest 36% above NY |
| Highland and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.1%±4.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Chester and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
32.4%±5.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Chester and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
36.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Highland and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $63,846±$26kLowest 26% below NY |
$84,623±$20kHighest about the NY average |
| Chester and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $255,000±$38kLowest 40% below NY |
$306,400±$38kHighest 28% below NY |
| Chester and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,215±$1kHighest 25% below NY |
$868±$163Lowest 46% below NY |
| Highland and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,373Highest 34% below NY |
$2,924Lowest 56% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.3%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
25.6%±27.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Chester and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 7.1%Highest NY: 14% |
6.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
85.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 5 yrs newer than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 18% above NY |
24 minLowest 26% below NY |
| Work from home | 17.4%±6Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.2%±5.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Highland and Chester 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 | — | #307 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ELDRED CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | ELDRED JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.