What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lempster has the most homeowners (98.2%).

Whiting has the most people working from home (10%).

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	Lempster	Whiting
People
Population	953Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S.	39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Whiting and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Whiting and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,607±$12kLowest 7% above U.S.	$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S.
	Whiting and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$241,900±$29kLowest 27% below U.S.	$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S.
	Whiting and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,204±$519 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,558Highest 46% above U.S.	$4,227Lowest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±37.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lempster and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	37 minHighest 41% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whiting and Lempster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Lempster School District	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.