Compare towns
Lucerne vs Darlington 61 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.9× in Lucerne) and typical home built (52 yrs in Lucerne).
Where each one shines Two towns, two different strengths What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.
Lucerne A small town of 35
Quiet strengths Lucerne doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Lucerne →
Darlington A small town of 31
Quiet strengths Darlington doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Darlington →
The biggest differences Where they differ most The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.
Life in each What daily life feels like in each The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.
Seasons
Growing season (days) 186d — Outdoors & history
Famous people born here 1 — Community
A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.
Where they are 61 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Lucerne ↔ Darlington 61 miles apart
Everything, side by side What matters to you? Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
35 Highest 31 Lowest
Median age
31.8 ±36.9 Lowest 18% below MO 40.4 ±6.1 Highest 4% above MO
Kids under 18
20% ±85 Highest MO: 22.3% 6.5% ±100 Lowest MO: 22.3%
Age 65+
14.3% ±100 Lowest MO: 17.9% 19.4% ±100 Highest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
7.1% Lowest MO: 32.4% 12% Highest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±48.5 Lowest MO: 5.7% 6.5% ±41.5 Highest MO: 5.7%
Household incomemedian
$47,813 ±$18k Highest 32% below MO $43,750 ±$24k Lowest 38% below MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
— $21,300 ±$15k 91% below MO
Below poverty line
31.4% Highest MO: 12.6% 6.5% Lowest MO: 12.6%
Homeownersof occupied homes
100% MO: 68.1% 100% MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year
1942 Lowest 36 yrs older than MO 1994 Highest 16 yrs newer than MO
Average commuteone way
29 min 23% above MO —
Work from home
0% ±60 MO: 13% 0% ±100 MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
31.8 mi Lowest 37.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
4.09 Highest 0.69 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Unionville (27%) Albany (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Darlington Few work in Lucerne
Conserved landshare of the town
0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles
0.1 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.5 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
92.7 Highest 49.4 Lowest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 2020–2024
Deciding? Ask the people who live there The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.
Lucerne or Darlington: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Lucerne? → Moving to Lucerne: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Lucerne’s Town Square.
Darlington or Lucerne: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Darlington? → Moving to Darlington: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Darlington’s Town Square.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.
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