What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orwell has the most people working from home (10.6%).

Macomb has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).

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	Orwell	Macomb
People
Population	914Highest	752Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	45.9±3Highest 15% above NY	45.3±10.9Lowest 14% above NY
	Orwell and Macomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.1%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5%	19.5%±5.3Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Orwell and Macomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9%	22.6%±2.4Highest NY: 17.9%
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	16.8%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.9%±1.2Lowest NY: 7%	3.6%±3.9Highest NY: 7%
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,375±$9kLowest 19% below NY	$70,417±$20kHighest 18% below NY
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$112,500±$13kLowest 73% below NY	$126,500±$21kHighest 70% below NY
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$836±$101Lowest 48% below NY	$843±$278Highest 48% below NY
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,324Lowest 65% below NY	$2,532Highest 62% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±79.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	92.3%±51.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Macomb and Orwell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.7%Highest NY: 14%	15.7%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	90.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1968Lowest 9 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest about the NY average	29 minLowest 11% below NY
Work from home	10.6%±6.7Highest NY: 14.9%	5.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Orwell and Macomb 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.