Compare towns
Root vs Alexander vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Root has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.4%).
Alexander has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Charleston has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Root | Alexander | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,963 |
2,572Highest |
1,394Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.3% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 32.8±6.1 18% below NY |
32.7±5.3Lowest 18% below NY |
39.3±5Highest about the NY average |
| Charleston and Root are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 33.6%±6Highest NY: 20.5% |
31.6%±3.7 NY: 20.5% |
23.1%±5.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Root and Alexander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.4%±2.2 NY: 17.9% |
12.5%±1.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
10.3%±2.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Alexander and Root are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
21.3% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.7Highest NY: 7% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $75,771±$6kLowest 12% below NY |
$75,875±$14k 12% below NY |
$91,417±$9kHighest 6% above NY |
| Charleston and Alexander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $209,000±$29kHighest 51% below NY |
$163,100±$17kLowest 62% below NY |
$184,200±$23k 57% below NY |
| Root and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $742±$310Lowest 54% below NY |
$1,277±$565Highest 21% below NY |
$1,250±$360 23% below NY |
| Alexander and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,795 42% below NY |
$3,732Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,415Highest 33% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.7%±36.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
16.9%±5.9 NY: 52.1% |
41.2%±49.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Charleston and Alexander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.5%Highest NY: 14% |
2.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1954Lowest 5 yrs older than NY |
1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% below NY |
22 minLowest 34% below NY |
34 minHighest 5% above NY |
| Work from home | 12.8%±5.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
3.7%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.5%±3.9 NY: 14.9% |
| Root and Charleston 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 | — | #295 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | ALEXANDER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | ALEXANDER MIDDLE SCHOOL-HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5 |
— |
| 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.