Compare towns
Lancaster vs Pendleton vs Vernon vs Busti
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Pendleton has the highest household income ($114k).
Vernon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+53.8%).
Busti has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
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 | Lancaster | Pendleton | Vernon | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,113Highest |
7,034Lowest |
8,219 |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+10% NY: +4.2% |
+53.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.1±4.7Lowest 13% above NY |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
46.6±2.5 17% above NY |
46.6±4.8 17% above NY |
| Pendleton and Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±2.2 NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Pendleton and Busti 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% |
23%±4.3 NY: 17.9% |
22.8%±2.3 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Pendleton 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% |
34.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
30% NY: 40.2% |
29.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5 NY: 7% |
4%±2.1 NY: 7% |
4.8%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Vernon and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,148±$7kLowest 23% below NY |
$113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$77,601±$6k 10% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,200±$16k 52% below NY |
$294,300±$39kHighest 31% below NY |
$202,100±$11k 52% below NY |
$164,600±$12kLowest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$169 40% below NY |
$994±$119 39% below NY |
$900±$127Lowest 44% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Busti and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932 25% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$3,656Lowest 44% below NY |
$3,876 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±19 NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
26%±6.6 NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti 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% |
9.4% NY: 14% |
8.5% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
74% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 42% below NY |
23 minHighest 31% below NY |
22 min 33% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 7%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±3.8 NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Vernon 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 | — | #67 of 484 in NY | #368 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | SHERRILL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.