What stands out worked out from the figures below

Interlaken has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Valley Falls has the highest household income ($87k).

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	Interlaken	Valley Falls
People
Population	493Highest	451Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-1.2% NY: +4.2%	—
Median age	43.7±4.7Lowest 10% above NY	44.6±7.4Highest 12% above NY
	Valley Falls and Interlaken are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.3%±4.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	20%±4.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Valley Falls and Interlaken are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.6%±8.5Highest NY: 17.9%	20%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Interlaken and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	40.3%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 7%	8.4%±6.4Highest NY: 7%
	Valley Falls and Interlaken are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,028±$11kLowest 31% below NY	$87,143±$11kHighest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$143,900±$9kLowest 66% below NY	$203,300±$20kHighest 52% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,214±$329Highest 25% below NY	$1,125±$146Lowest 31% below NY
	Interlaken and Valley Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,000Lowest 54% below NY	$3,980Highest 40% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.7%±13.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	50.7%±32.2Highest NY: 52.1%
	Valley Falls and Interlaken are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.4%Highest NY: 14%	1.1%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.6%Highest NY: 54.3%	63.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938 21 yrs older than NY	1938 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 36% below NY	36 minHighest 10% above NY
Work from home	11.6%±7.1Lowest NY: 14.9%	12.8%±7.7Highest NY: 14.9%
	Valley Falls and Interlaken are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.