What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lenox has the most people working from home (8%).

Ira has the most expensive homes ($273k 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.

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

Measure	Lenox	Ira
People
Population	8,658Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.1±2Lowest 16% above U.S.	54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.7%±2.6Highest U.S.: 22%	10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	21.9%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lenox and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,900±$8kHighest 6% below U.S.	$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S.
	Lenox and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S.	$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$935±$83Lowest 34% below U.S.	$942±$52Highest 33% below U.S.
	Ira and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,184Highest 34% above U.S.	$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38.5%±9.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lenox and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 7% below U.S.	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	8%±3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#412 of 484 in NY	—
School district	ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6	—
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.