What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pomfret has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Van Buren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pomfret	Van Buren
People
Population	12,795Lowest	14,237Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	37.5±4Lowest 6% below NY	42.1±3.7Highest 6% above NY
	Van Buren and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.4%±3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Van Buren and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%	21.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Pomfret and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.4%Highest NY: 40.2%	39.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	22.5%±3Highest NY: 7%	4.1%±1Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,746±$10kLowest 33% below NY	$73,779±$8kHighest 14% below NY
	Van Buren and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,400±$19kHighest 56% below NY	$169,600±$5kLowest 60% below NY
	Pomfret and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$866±$43Lowest 47% below NY	$1,269±$87Highest 22% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,459Highest 32% below NY	$4,171Lowest 37% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±10.4Highest NY: 52.1%	50.8%±10.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Pomfret and Van Buren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	22.6%Highest NY: 14%	8.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	61.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 45% below NY	25 minHighest 23% below NY
Work from home	11.8%±4Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.3%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9%
	Van Buren and Pomfret 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	#211 of 484 in NY	#386 of 484 in NY
School district	FREDONIA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	FREDONIA HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
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.