Compare towns
Parma vs Wallkill vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Parma has the most affordable homes ($220k median).
Wallkill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Milton has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Wallkill | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,111Lowest |
31,023Highest |
19,036 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7% NY: +4.2% |
+11.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.4±3.3Lowest about the NY average |
41.2±2.2 4% above NY |
42.2±2.3Highest 6% above NY |
| Milton and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Parma and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
16%±2.2 NY: 17.9% |
| Parma and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% NY: 40.2% |
28%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
37.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
7.8%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±1.1 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,558±$8kLowest 9% above NY |
$96,076±$4k 12% above NY |
$100,322±$9kHighest 17% above NY |
| Milton and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,000±$15kLowest 48% below NY |
$353,200±$13kHighest 17% below NY |
$311,500±$19k 26% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,216±$111Lowest 25% below NY |
$1,790±$80Highest 10% above NY |
$1,423±$89 12% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,549 16% below NY |
$6,623Highest about the NY average |
$4,385Lowest 33% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.8%±15.2 NY: 52.1% |
52.8%±8.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
36.8%±10.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Wallkill and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% NY: 14% |
11%Highest NY: 14% |
5.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
64.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 32% below NY |
31 minHighest 5% below NY |
25 min 23% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.3%±2.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
15.5%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Milton and Wallkill 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 | #476 of 484 in NY | #330 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BALLSTON SPA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.

