Compare towns
Lima vs Sandgate vs Alabama
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lima has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Alabama has the most affordable homes ($146k 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 | Lima | Sandgate | Alabama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,064Highest |
435Lowest |
1,831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -14.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.6±5.7 6% below U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
34.8±4.2Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.3%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
27.2%±8.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Alabama and Lima are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
9.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate and Lima are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.7%±4.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,420±$18k 14% below U.S. |
$69,167±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$81,833±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Alabama and Lima are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $203,300±$19kHighest 39% below U.S. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$145,600±$14kLowest 56% below U.S. |
| Lima and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $830±$177Highest 41% below U.S. |
— | $775±$141Lowest 45% below U.S. |
| Lima and Alabama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,884Highest 89% above U.S. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$3,444 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±24.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±6.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lima and Alabama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Highest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
27 min 3% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.4%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Lima 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 | 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.