Compare towns
Middletown vs Hempstead vs Wawayanda
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middletown has the most affordable homes ($309k median).
Hempstead has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Wawayanda has the most homeowners (88.4%).
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 | Middletown | Hempstead | Wawayanda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,289 |
58,801Highest |
7,537Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% NY: +4.2% |
+9.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+3.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 36.3±2.4Lowest 9% below NY |
38.1±2.1Highest 4% below NY |
38.1±3.7Highest 4% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 25.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.7%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
22.4%±3.2Lowest 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%±1.8 NY: 17.9% |
13.2%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
15.3%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Wawayanda and Middletown 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% NY: 40.2% |
36.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
5.9%±0.9 NY: 7% |
8%±3.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Wawayanda and Hempstead 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±$13k 5% above NY |
$143,017±$23kHighest 66% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $308,600±$14kLowest 27% below NY |
$459,500±$14kHighest 8% above NY |
$401,000±$30k 5% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,661±$106 about the NY average |
$1,622±$74Lowest about the NY average |
$1,718±$205Highest 6% above NY |
| Wawayanda and Middletown 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 |
$7,936 21% above NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.3%±5.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±6 NY: 52.1% |
57.7%±25.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Wawayanda and Hempstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 51.7% NY: 54.3% |
47.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1958Lowest 1 yr older than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 10% above NY |
33 minLowest about the NY average |
34 min 4% above NY |
| Work from home | 6%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.3%±1.5 NY: 14.9% |
8.2%±4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Wawayanda and Hempstead 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 | — | #149 of 484 in NY |
| School district | MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | MINISINK VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL | — | MINISINK VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.