Compare towns
Reading vs Lyons vs Hector vs Starkey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Lyons has the most affordable homes ($98k median).
Hector has the most expensive homes ($219k median).
Starkey has the most people working from home (14.9%).
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 | Reading | Lyons | Hector | Starkey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,637Lowest |
5,594Highest |
4,850 |
3,381 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.1% NY: +4.2% |
-0.9% NY: +4.2% |
-4.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.3±6.4 16% above NY |
41.1±5.4Lowest 3% above NY |
51.1±4Highest 28% above NY |
41.3±2.5 4% above NY |
| Hector and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25.7%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
18%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
22.6%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Lyons and Starkey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
25%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
12.7%±3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Hector and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21% NY: 40.2% |
36.9% NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
2.6%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.2%±1.6 NY: 7% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Reading and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,131±$9kHighest about the NY average |
$74,524±$12k 13% below NY |
$79,904±$19k 7% below NY |
$55,064±$7kLowest 36% below NY |
| Reading and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $160,200±$37k 62% below NY |
$98,400±$12kLowest 77% below NY |
$218,700±$32kHighest 48% below NY |
$145,700±$17k 66% below NY |
| Hector and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY |
$920±$111 43% below NY |
$1,083±$525 33% below NY |
$744±$96Lowest 54% below NY |
| Reading and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,219 51% below NY |
$2,998Lowest 54% below NY |
$4,072Highest 38% below NY |
$3,412 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
35.6%±12.2 NY: 52.1% |
81.7%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
45%±14.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.3% NY: 14% |
15.6% NY: 14% |
19.7%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.4% NY: 54.3% |
74.9% NY: 54.3% |
91.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
73.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1966 7 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
27 min 18% below NY |
26 min 20% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±8.3 NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±4.8 NY: 14.9% |
14.9%±8.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Starkey and Hector 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 | — | #388 of 484 in NY | — | #358 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | LYONS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | DUNDEE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | LYONS SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | DUNDEE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.5Highest |
— | 8.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.