What stands out worked out from the figures below

Scio has the shortest commute (21 min average).

Orange has the most people working from home (8.1%).

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	Scio	Orange
People
Population	1,495Highest	1,196Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	47.4±10.3Highest 19% above NY	46.6±6.3Lowest 17% above NY
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.3%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5%	18%±4Highest NY: 20.5%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.1%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	22.9%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.7%Highest NY: 40.2%	16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7%
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,426±$11kHighest 27% below NY	$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY
	Scio and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$117,100±$27kLowest 72% below NY	$119,200±$17kHighest 72% below NY
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$158Lowest 47% below NY	$932±$81Highest 43% below NY
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,227Highest 51% below NY	$2,667Lowest 59% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.3%±34.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.6%Highest NY: 14%	12.7%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	84.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1957Lowest 2 yrs older than NY	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 37% below NY	30 minHighest 8% below NY
Work from home	6.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.1%±4.3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Orange and Scio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.