Compare towns
Parma vs Middlebury vs Chenango
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Parma has the most kids (25.6% under 18).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Chenango has the most affordable homes ($172k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Parma | Middlebury | Chenango |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,111Highest |
9,175Lowest |
10,787 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±3.3 4% above U.S. |
31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
41±2.8Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Chenango and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chenango and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,558±$8kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$86,169±$16kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,000±$15k 34% below U.S. |
$409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$172,000±$9kLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$111Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$1,038±$97Lowest 27% below U.S. |
| Parma and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,549 78% above U.S. |
$6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,700Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.8%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.9%±14.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlebury and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlebury and Chenango 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 | #88 of 484 in NY | #17 of 70 in VT | #233 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | Middlebury Union High School | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
12.6Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.