Compare towns
Pendleton vs Palmyra vs Wheatfield vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pendleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Palmyra has the most affordable homes ($152k median).
Wheatfield has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Amherst has the shortest commute (20 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.
| Measure | Pendleton | Palmyra | Wheatfield | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,034Lowest |
7,354 |
18,549 |
130,546Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.9% NY: +4.2% |
+5.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.7±4.1 17% above NY |
40.8±2.6 about the NY average |
47.3±2.1Highest 19% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
| Wheatfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.8 NY: 20.5% |
20%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
22.5%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Wheatfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.3 NY: 17.9% |
22.7%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
23.1%±2.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Wheatfield and Pendleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9% NY: 40.2% |
26.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.3% NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2.1 NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$27kHighest 32% above NY |
$67,113±$7kLowest 22% below NY |
$93,682±$6k 9% above NY |
$93,483±$2k 9% above NY |
| Pendleton and Wheatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,300±$39k 31% below NY |
$152,200±$12kLowest 64% below NY |
$314,900±$19kHighest 26% below NY |
$311,600±$7k 26% below NY |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$119 39% below NY |
$941±$51Lowest 42% below NY |
$989±$87 39% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,623Highest about the NY average |
$3,938Lowest 40% below NY |
$5,735 13% below NY |
$5,935 10% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 6.6%±17.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
36.8%±15.3 NY: 52.1% |
61.8%±11.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% NY: 14% |
8.1% NY: 14% |
5.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
70.6% NY: 54.3% |
76.4% NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1986Highest 27 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 31% below NY |
25 minHighest 24% below NY |
23 min 29% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 18.4%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.5%±2.5 NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Pendleton and Amherst 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 | #67 of 484 in NY | #55 of 484 in NY | #9 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY |
| School district | STARPOINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PALMYRA-MACEDON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | STARPOINT HIGH SCHOOL | PALMYRA-MACEDON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.5Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.