Compare towns
Murray vs Amherst vs Clarendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Murray has the most affordable homes ($124k median).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Clarendon has the oldest population (median age 50.5).
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.
| Measure | Murray | Amherst | Clarendon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,754 |
130,546Highest |
3,322Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-9.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.3±2.8 about the NY average |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
50.5±2.6Highest 27% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±4.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Murray and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±3.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9 NY: 17.9% |
22%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Clarendon and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
20.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.2 NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,077±$5k 24% below NY |
$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
$57,604±$28kLowest 33% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $123,800±$14kLowest 71% below NY |
$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
$179,700±$20k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $826±$63Lowest 49% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
$1,020±$358 37% below NY |
| Amherst and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,907Lowest 41% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
$5,062 23% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±15.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
51.6%±37.5 NY: 52.1% |
| Amherst and Clarendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3% NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 20% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
32 minHighest 3% below NY |
| Work from home | 12.8%±6.4 NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Amherst and Murray 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 | #430 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | HOLLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | HOLLEY JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| 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.