Compare towns
Niagara Falls vs Pendleton vs Lewiston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Niagara Falls has the most affordable homes ($115k median).
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Niagara Falls | Pendleton | Lewiston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 47,987Highest |
7,034Lowest |
15,788 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.8±1.3Lowest about the NY average |
46.7±4.1Highest 17% above NY |
45.6±2.9 15% above NY |
| Pendleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±1.4 NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.5%±2.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Pendleton and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23%±4.3 NY: 17.9% |
26.1%±3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Lewiston and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.9% NY: 40.2% |
38.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1 NY: 7% |
4%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
13.8%±1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY |
$113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$78,400±$11k 9% below NY |
| Pendleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $115,300±$6kLowest 73% below NY |
$294,300±$39kHighest 31% below NY |
$261,600±$19k 38% below NY |
| Pendleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $823±$33Lowest 49% below NY |
$994±$119Highest 39% below NY |
$988±$81 39% below NY |
| Pendleton and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,786Lowest 58% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$4,983 24% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
46.7%±16 NY: 52.1% |
| Niagara Falls and Lewiston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23.7%Highest NY: 14% |
9.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
76.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1968 9 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 41% below NY |
23 minHighest 31% below NY |
21 min 36% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Lewiston 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 | #427 of 484 in NY | #67 of 484 in NY | #95 of 484 in NY |
| School district | NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | LEWISTON-PORTER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.3Highest |
14.5 |
14.3Lowest |
| 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.