Compare towns
Lyons vs Reading vs Arcadia vs Galen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyons has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Reading has the highest household income ($86k).
Arcadia has the most renters (29.6% rent).
Galen has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Lyons | Reading | Arcadia | Galen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,594 |
1,637Lowest |
13,601Highest |
4,369 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% NY: +4.2% |
+0.7% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.1±5.4 3% above NY |
46.3±6.4Highest 16% above NY |
43.7±3.1 10% above NY |
37.7±5.2Lowest 5% below NY |
| Reading and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25.7%±5.8 NY: 20.5% |
17.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
27.8%±5.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Galen and Lyons are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±2Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
16.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Reading and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% NY: 40.2% |
37.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
19.2% NY: 40.2% |
14.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6 NY: 7% |
4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.4 NY: 7% |
| Reading and Galen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,524±$12k 13% below NY |
$86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average |
$63,398±$5kLowest 26% below NY |
$64,177±$7k 25% below NY |
| Reading and Lyons are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $98,400±$12k 77% below NY |
$160,200±$37kHighest 62% below NY |
$148,400±$12k 65% below NY |
$95,400±$15kLowest 77% below NY |
| Reading and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $920±$111 43% below NY |
$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY |
$1,002±$86 38% below NY |
$864±$286Lowest 47% below NY |
| Reading and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,998 54% below NY |
$3,219 51% below NY |
$3,944Highest 40% below NY |
$2,693Lowest 59% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.6%±12.2 NY: 52.1% |
33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
48.2%±11.5 NY: 52.1% |
57.2%±25.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Galen and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.3% NY: 14% |
5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.9%Highest NY: 14% |
17.5% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9% NY: 54.3% |
81.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
70.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 37% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
23 min 30% below NY |
22 min 32% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.8%±8.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.7%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
6.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Lyons and Reading 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 | #388 of 484 in NY | — | #301 of 484 in NY | #475 of 484 in NY |
| School district | LYONS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | NEWARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CLYDE-SAVANNAH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | LYONS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | NEWARK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | CLYDE-SAVANNAH HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
— | 9.8 |
9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.