Compare towns
Lenox vs Worcester vs Ripton vs Verona
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lenox has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
Worcester has the most people working from home (23.6%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Verona has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Lenox | Worcester | Ripton | Verona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,658Highest |
831 |
508Lowest |
5,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
47±2.7 21% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
45.6±2.2 17% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Verona and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,900±$8k 6% below U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$83,534±$11k 3% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,600±$9kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$271,100±$27k 19% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$196,700±$21k 41% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $935±$83 34% below U.S. |
$1,023±$136Highest 28% below U.S. |
— | $797±$134Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,184 34% above U.S. |
$4,421 42% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,382Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±9.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45%±14.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Verona are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Ripton 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 | #412 of 484 in NY | — | — | #311 of 484 in NY |
| School district | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · SHERRILL CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town | VERNON-VERONA-SHERRILL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | — | 13.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.