What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rome has the most people working from home (12.8%).

Niagara Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3%).

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	Rome	Niagara Falls
People
Population	31,795Lowest	47,987Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.7±1.9Lowest about the NY average	40.8±1.3Highest about the NY average
	Niagara Falls and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.5%±2Lowest NY: 20.5%	21.2%±1.4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Niagara Falls and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±1.7Highest NY: 17.9%	18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Rome and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	22.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.3%±0.7Lowest NY: 7%	4.7%±1Highest NY: 7%
	Niagara Falls and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,925±$3kHighest 30% below NY	$49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$154,400±$6kHighest 64% below NY	$115,300±$6kLowest 73% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$909±$59Highest 44% below NY	$823±$33Lowest 49% below NY
	Rome and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,212Highest 36% below NY	$2,786Lowest 58% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.6%±6.7Lowest NY: 52.1%	58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Niagara Falls and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.1%Lowest NY: 14%	23.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%	58.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY	1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 45% below NY	19 minHighest 41% below NY
Work from home	12.8%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%	7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#323 of 484 in NY	#427 of 484 in NY
School district	ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	ROME FREE ACADEMY	NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	13.2Lowest	15.3Highest
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.