What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pine Plains has the most expensive homes ($318k median).

Covert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).

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	Pine Plains	Covert
People
Population	2,243Highest	2,004Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	50.1±6.6Lowest 26% above NY	50.4±4.3Highest 27% above NY
	Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	24.1%±4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.5%±4.4Lowest NY: 17.9%	25.2%±2.3Highest NY: 17.9%
	Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	40.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±2Highest NY: 7%	1.9%±1Lowest NY: 7%
	Pine Plains and Covert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,109±$18kHighest 19% above NY	$75,688±$16kLowest 12% below NY
	Pine Plains and Covert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$317,600±$32kHighest 25% below NY	$227,200±$48kLowest 46% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$291Highest 7% below NY	$1,257±$236Lowest 22% below NY
	Pine Plains and Covert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,614Highest 30% below NY	$3,724Lowest 43% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.6%±39.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	42.9%±18.6Highest NY: 52.1%
	Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest NY: 14%	7.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81%Lowest NY: 54.3%	83.4%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1959Highest same as NY	1942Lowest 17 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 19% below NY	23 minLowest 30% below NY
Work from home	14.7%±6.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	15.5%±5.1Highest NY: 14.9%
	Covert and Pine Plains are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	PINE PLAINS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	SOUTH SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	STISSING MOUNTAIN JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	8.0	—
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.