What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middletown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).

Rome has the most people working from home (12.8%).

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	Rome
People
Population	30,289Lowest	31,795Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8%Highest NY: +4.2%	-4.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.3±2.4Lowest 9% below NY	40.7±1.9Highest about the NY average
Kids under 18	25.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%	19.5%±2Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	13.6%±1.8Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.8%±1.7Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	20.8%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Highest NY: 7%	3.3%±0.7Lowest NY: 7%
	Middletown and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,346±$8kHighest 8% below NY	$59,925±$3kLowest 30% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$308,600±$14kHighest 27% below NY	$154,400±$6kLowest 64% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$106Highest about the NY average	$909±$59Lowest 44% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,773Highest about the NY average	$4,212Lowest 36% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.3%±5.9Highest NY: 52.1%	45.6%±6.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Middletown and Rome 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%	18.1%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	56.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 1 yr newer than NY	1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 10% above NY	18 minLowest 45% below NY
Work from home	6%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	12.8%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#150 of 484 in NY	#323 of 484 in NY
School district	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL	ROME FREE ACADEMY
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.2Highest
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.