What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ontario has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Ira has the oldest population (median age 54.1).

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	Ontario	Ira
People
Population	10,491Highest	381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	45.2±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S.	54.1±5.5Highest 39% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%	10.5%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22.7%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	28.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Ontario and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,608±$7kHighest about the U.S. average	$71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S.
	Ontario and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$233,900±$15kLowest 30% below U.S.	$272,900±$18kHighest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$882±$172Lowest 38% below U.S.	$942±$52Highest 33% below U.S.
	Ira and Ontario are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,251Highest 68% above U.S.	$4,146Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49%±18.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	36.4%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ontario and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#48 of 484 in NY	—
School district	WAYNE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	WAYNE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.