Compare towns

Middletown vs Wallkill vs Wappinger

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 kids (25.9% under 18).
Wallkill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Wappinger has the most people working from home (13.2%).

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.

MeasureMiddletownWallkillWappinger
People
Population
30,289
31,023Highest
28,252Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+8%
NY: +4.2%
+11.2%Highest
NY: +4.2%
+4.3%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
Median age
36.3±2.4Lowest
9% below NY
41.2±2.2
4% above NY
43.9±1.8Highest
10% above NY
Wappinger and Wallkill 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%
20.7%±2.3
NY: 20.5%
18.3%±1.8Lowest
NY: 20.5%
Middletown and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
13.6%±1.8Lowest
NY: 17.9%
15.7%±1.6
NY: 17.9%
20.2%±2.1Highest
NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
20.1%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
28%
NY: 40.2%
36%Highest
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±1.4Lowest
NY: 7%
7.8%±1.5Highest
NY: 7%
6.1%±1.1
NY: 7%
Wallkill and Wappinger 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
$96,076±$4kHighest
12% above NY
$95,234±$10k
11% above NY
Wallkill and Wappinger 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
$353,200±$13k
17% below NY
$394,800±$11kHighest
7% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,661±$106Lowest
about the NY average
$1,790±$80Highest
10% above NY
$1,708±$94
5% above NY
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,773Highest
about the NY average
$6,623
about the NY average
$6,236Lowest
5% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
55.3%±5.9Highest
NY: 52.1%
52.8%±8.1
NY: 52.1%
45.7%±7.7Lowest
NY: 52.1%
Middletown and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
13.6%Highest
NY: 14%
11%
NY: 14%
5.4%Lowest
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
51.7%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
64.1%Highest
NY: 54.3%
63.3%
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1960Lowest
1 yr newer than NY
1978Highest
19 yrs newer than NY
1971
12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
36 minHighest
10% above NY
31 min
5% below NY
28 minLowest
13% below NY
Work from home
6%±1.9Lowest
NY: 14.9%
10.5%±2.9
NY: 14.9%
13.2%±2.5Highest
NY: 14.9%
Wappinger and Wallkill 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 #476 of 484 in NY #93 of 484 in NY
School district MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL None in town ROY C KETCHAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Lowest
—
13.4Highest
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.