Compare towns
Ramapo vs Clarkstown vs Buffalo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ramapo has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.6%).
Clarkstown has the highest household income ($137k).
Buffalo has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
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 | Ramapo | Clarkstown | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 152,401 |
86,937Lowest |
276,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+3.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 25.1±0.5Lowest 37% below NY |
44.4±1.1Highest 12% above NY |
34.3±0.5 14% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 39.8%±0.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.3%±0.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 10.9%±0.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.6%±1.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.2%±0.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
53.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
31.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±0.4Lowest NY: 7% |
5.9%±0.7 NY: 7% |
8.5%±0.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,463±$4k 4% below NY |
$136,883±$6kHighest 59% above NY |
$50,041±$2kLowest 42% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,100±$18kHighest 54% above NY |
$602,100±$10k 42% above NY |
$164,200±$5kLowest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,787±$53 10% above NY |
$2,185±$88Highest 35% above NY |
$1,046±$18Lowest 35% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY |
$1,622Lowest 75% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.5%±3.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.5%±8.9 NY: 52.1% |
52.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Ramapo and Clarkstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.5%Highest NY: 14% |
6.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
26% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.2% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
43%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1970 11 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 20% below NY |
32 minHighest about the NY average |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.3%±1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.9%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.3%±0.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #385 of 484 in NY | #36 of 484 in NY | #455 of 484 in NY |
| School district | EAST RAMAPO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (SPRING VALLEY) · SUFFERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NANUET UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT · CLARKSTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BUFFALO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | RAMAPO HIGH SCHOOL | CLARKSTOWN SOUTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | HUTCHINSON CENTRAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.