Compare towns
Plattsburgh 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
Plattsburgh has the most affordable homes ($180k median).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Plattsburgh | Amherst |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 11,830Lowest |
130,546Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.2±1.9Highest 14% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±2.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Plattsburgh and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±2.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Plattsburgh and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $71,546±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $179,900±$11kLowest 58% below NY |
$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,053±$86Lowest 35% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,573Lowest 46% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.9%±12.5Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Amherst and Plattsburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest NY: 14% |
10.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 43% below NY |
20 minHighest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.6%±3.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #153 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BEEKMANTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
| 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.