Compare towns
Rome vs Western
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has the most people working from home (12.8%).
Western has the most expensive homes ($238k 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 | Rome | Western |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 31,795Highest |
1,839Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±1.9Lowest about the NY average |
48±6Highest 21% above NY |
| Western 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% |
22%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
26.5%±6.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Western and Rome 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% |
32.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.5%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Western 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±$3kLowest 30% below NY |
$88,964±$16kHighest 3% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $154,400±$6kLowest 64% below NY |
$237,800±$69kHighest 44% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $909±$59Lowest 44% below NY |
$1,024±$178Highest 37% below NY |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,212Lowest 36% below NY |
$4,930Highest 25% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.6%±6.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
48.4%±26.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 18.1%Highest NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
83%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1969Highest 10 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 45% below NY |
25 minHighest 24% below NY |
| Work from home | 12.8%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #323 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | ROME FREE ACADEMY | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.2 |
— |
| 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.