What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has the most affordable homes ($309k median).

Hempstead has the most expensive homes ($460k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middletown	Hempstead
People
Population	30,289Lowest	58,801Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+9.8%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.3±2.4Lowest 9% below NY	38.1±2.1Highest 4% below NY
	Hempstead and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%	22.7%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Middletown and Hempstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13.6%±1.8Highest NY: 17.9%	13.2%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Middletown and Hempstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	21.5%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%	5.9%±0.9Highest NY: 7%
	Hempstead and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,346±$8kLowest 8% below NY	$90,420±$13kHighest 5% above NY
	Hempstead and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$308,600±$14kLowest 27% below NY	$459,500±$14kHighest 8% above NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$106Highest about the NY average	$1,622±$74Lowest about the NY average
	Middletown and Hempstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,773Lowest about the NY average	$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±5.9Lowest NY: 52.1%	57.1%±6Highest NY: 52.1%
	Hempstead and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.6%Lowest NY: 14%	14.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	47.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 1 yr newer than NY	1958Lowest 1 yr older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 10% above NY	33 minLowest about the NY average
Work from home	6%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	7.3%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Hempstead and Middletown 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	#150 of 484 in NY	—
School district	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
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.