Compare towns

Painted Post vs Waltham vs Erwin

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Painted Post has the most affordable homes ($156k median).
Waltham has the most people working from home (20.6%).
Erwin has the most kids (20.7% under 18).

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.

MeasurePainted PostWalthamErwin
People
Population
1,824
452Lowest
7,965Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-2.3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+0.7%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.7±5.2
17% above U.S.
60.8±7.3Highest
56% above U.S.
43.8±2Lowest
13% above U.S.
Kids under 18
16.3%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
12.8%±7.4Lowest
U.S.: 22%
20.7%±3.7Highest
U.S.: 22%
Erwin and Painted Post are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.3%±4.1
U.S.: 17.2%
45.4%±3.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
17.4%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
36.5%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
39%
U.S.: 35.7%
49.2%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.9%±2.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.1
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Erwin and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$62,891±$14kLowest
22% below U.S.
$97,500±$14kHighest
21% above U.S.
$88,333±$16k
9% above U.S.
Waltham and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$155,900±$13kLowest
53% below U.S.
$329,700±$51kHighest
about the U.S. average
$223,700±$26k
33% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$839±$281Lowest
41% below U.S.
$1,096±$113
22% below U.S.
$1,271±$136Highest
10% below U.S.
Erwin and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,442Lowest
74% above U.S.
$5,714
83% above U.S.
$5,829Highest
87% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
63.4%±18.8Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
29.2%±58.6Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
56.8%±14
U.S.: 51.1%
Painted Post and Erwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
12.4%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
5.3%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
63.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
67.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1946Lowest
34 yrs older than U.S.
1986Highest
6 yrs newer than U.S.
1977
3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
17 min
37% below U.S.
28 minHighest
5% above U.S.
15 minLowest
43% below U.S.
Work from home
13.8%±8.1
U.S.: 15.1%
20.6%±5.7Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.5%±4.3Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Waltham and Painted Post 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 — — #431 of 484 in NY
School district — — CORNING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town — — None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet 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.