What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orange has the most people working from home (8.1%).

Scio has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Orange	Scio
People
Population	1,196Lowest	1,495Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-11.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	46.6±6.3Lowest 17% above NY	47.4±10.3Highest 19% above NY
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±4Highest NY: 20.5%	16.3%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.9%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%	22.1%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	19.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7%	1.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7%
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY	$62,426±$11kHighest 27% below NY
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$119,200±$17kHighest 72% below NY	$117,100±$27kLowest 72% below NY
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$932±$81Highest 43% below NY	$863±$158Lowest 47% below NY
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,667Lowest 59% below NY	$3,227Highest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1%	44.3%±34.3Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.7%Lowest NY: 14%	17.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%	90.2%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1957Lowest 2 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 8% below NY	21 minLowest 37% below NY
Work from home	8.1%±4.3Highest NY: 14.9%	6.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.