What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lancaster has the most expensive homes ($202k median).

Painted Post has the most people working from home (13.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lancaster	Painted Post
People
Population	10,113Highest	1,824Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-2.3%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	45.1±4.7Lowest 13% above NY	45.7±5.2Highest 15% above NY
	Painted Post and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.8%±3.8Highest NY: 20.5%	16.3%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Lancaster and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±4.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	21.3%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%
	Painted Post and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	36.5%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	2.9%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Lancaster and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,148±$7kHighest 23% below NY	$62,891±$14kLowest 27% below NY
	Lancaster and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$202,200±$16kHighest 52% below NY	$155,900±$13kLowest 63% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$969±$169Highest 40% below NY	$839±$281Lowest 48% below NY
	Lancaster and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,932Lowest 25% below NY	$5,442Highest 17% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52%±19Lowest NY: 52.1%	63.4%±18.8Highest NY: 52.1%
	Painted Post and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Lowest NY: 14%	12.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	63.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1952Highest 7 yrs older than NY	1946Lowest 13 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 42% below NY	17 minLowest 49% below NY
Work from home	7%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.8%±8.1Highest NY: 14.9%
	Painted Post and Lancaster 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.