Compare towns
Romulus vs Calais vs Varick vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Romulus has the most affordable homes ($179k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Varick has the youngest population (median age 33.1).
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
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.
| Measure | Romulus | Calais | Varick | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,110Highest |
1,713Lowest |
1,724 |
2,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -25.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±2.7 5% below U.S. |
42±8.6Highest 8% above U.S. |
33.1±3.6Lowest 15% below U.S. |
40.6±8.4 4% above U.S. |
| Calais and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
30.3%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
30.1%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Varick and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.2%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Benton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,447±$6kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$80,250±$8k about the U.S. average |
$74,767±$13k 7% below U.S. |
| Calais and Varick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,800±$47kLowest 46% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$267,200±$41k 20% below U.S. |
$258,600±$51k 22% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,059±$93Lowest 25% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,279±$88 9% below U.S. |
$1,541±$628Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Benton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,688Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,604 48% above U.S. |
$3,391 9% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 67.3%±19.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.6%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
14.5%±10.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Romulus and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Varick 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 | #449 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.