What stands out worked out from the figures below

Romulus has the youngest population (median age 36.8).

Hartwick has the most people working from home (22.2%).

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	Romulus	Hartwick
People
Population	3,110Highest	2,143Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-25.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-7.5%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.8±2.7Lowest 8% below NY	49.3±5.4Highest 24% above NY
Kids under 18	15.5%±4.3Highest NY: 20.5%	13%±3Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Romulus and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	20.5%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	13.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%	41.2%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.6%±0.6Lowest NY: 7%	3.5%±2.4Highest NY: 7%
	Hartwick and Romulus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,447±$6kLowest 19% below NY	$81,196±$6kHighest 6% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$178,800±$47kHighest 58% below NY	$173,500±$36kLowest 59% below NY
	Romulus and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,059±$93Highest 35% below NY	$1,000±$174Lowest 38% below NY
	Romulus and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,688Lowest 59% below NY	$2,912Highest 56% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.3%±19.8Highest NY: 52.1%	57.1%±25.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Romulus and Hartwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.6%Highest NY: 14%	7.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%	80%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 1 yr older than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 29% below NY	18 minLowest 44% below NY
Work from home	9.6%±4.8Lowest NY: 14.9%	22.2%±13.2Highest NY: 14.9%
	Hartwick and Romulus 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	—
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.