Compare towns
Red Hook vs Mendon vs Ballston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Red Hook has the most expensive homes ($430k median).
Mendon has the highest household income ($132k).
Ballston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21%).
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 | Red Hook | Mendon | Ballston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,108 |
9,019Lowest |
12,433Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.6% NY: +4.2% |
+21%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.7±2.4Highest 7% above NY |
42.6±2.6Lowest 7% above NY |
42.6±2.1Lowest 7% above NY |
| Red Hook and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25%±4.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.1%±4 NY: 20.5% |
| Mendon and Ballston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
18.6%±2.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Red Hook and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.5% NY: 40.2% |
63.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
50.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.7%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
4.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
2.8%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,363±$7kLowest 31% above NY |
$131,778±$17kHighest 53% above NY |
$116,161±$14k 35% above NY |
| Mendon and Ballston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $430,000±$25kHighest about the NY average |
$388,700±$37k 8% below NY |
$373,200±$16kLowest 12% below NY |
| Red Hook and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,436±$101 11% below NY |
$1,207±$208Lowest 26% below NY |
$1,688±$220Highest 4% above NY |
| Ballston and Red Hook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,229 25% above NY |
$8,808Highest 34% above NY |
$6,103Lowest 7% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.8%±9.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
40.5%±7.8 NY: 52.1% |
34.2%±9.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest NY: 14% |
5.7% NY: 14% |
4.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
79.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 11 yrs newer than NY |
1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 20% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 22.9%±5.1 NY: 14.9% |
24.5%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Mendon and Red Hook 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 | #181 of 484 in NY | #20 of 484 in NY | #33 of 484 in NY |
| School district | RED HOOK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HONEOYE FALLS-LIMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BALLSTON SPA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · BURNT HILLS-BALLSTON LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | RED HOOK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | HONEOYE FALLS-LIMA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | BALLSTON SPA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4 |
10.2Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.