What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mentz has the most affordable homes ($116k median).

Throop has the most people working from home (7.5%).

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	Mentz	Throop
People
Population	1,753Highest	1,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-8%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	43.1±5.3Lowest 8% above NY	52.7±3.1Highest 32% above NY
Kids under 18	20.7%±3.5Highest NY: 20.5%	15.4%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Mentz and Throop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.6%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9%	23.3%±2.6Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Mentz and Throop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	9.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	28.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±3.4Highest NY: 7%	3.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7%
	Mentz and Throop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,602±$5kLowest 39% below NY	$90,268±$15kHighest 5% above NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$115,500±$31kLowest 73% below NY	$185,900±$20kHighest 56% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,045±$130Lowest 36% below NY	$1,099±$88Highest 32% below NY
	Throop and Mentz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,901Lowest 56% below NY	$4,261Highest 35% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±24.4Highest NY: 52.1%	51.4%±69.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Mentz and Throop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	20%Highest NY: 14%	5.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%	93.3%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 13% below NY	26 minLowest 19% below NY
Work from home	3.8%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	7.5%±3.3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Throop and Mentz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	PORT BYRON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	PORT BYRON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	13.5	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.