Compare towns
Scriba vs Reading vs Phelps
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Scriba has the highest household income ($92k).
Reading has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.7%).
Phelps has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Scriba | Reading | Phelps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,603 |
1,637Lowest |
6,624Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.3% NY: +4.2% |
+0.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.3±3.1Highest 16% above NY |
46.3±6.4Highest 16% above NY |
44.4±4.8Lowest 12% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
17.2%±2.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±3.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Phelps and Scriba are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±4.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±2 NY: 17.9% |
23.1%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Phelps and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
37.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
4.2%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Phelps and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,036±$17kHighest 7% above NY |
$86,131±$9k about the NY average |
$80,262±$13kLowest 7% below NY |
| Scriba and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $158,700±$10kLowest 63% below NY |
$160,200±$37k 62% below NY |
$166,300±$10kHighest 61% below NY |
| Phelps and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $980±$67Lowest 40% below NY |
$1,507±$514Highest 7% below NY |
$1,124±$95 31% below NY |
| Reading and Phelps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,649 45% below NY |
$3,219Lowest 51% below NY |
$3,932Highest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±13.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
33.9%±19.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
43.7%±14.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest NY: 14% |
5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.5% NY: 54.3% |
81.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1953Lowest 6 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 34% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
21 minLowest 36% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.7%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
13%±4.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Phelps and Reading 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 | — | — | #197 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | PHELPS-CLIFTON SPRINGS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | MIDLAKES MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.4 |
| 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.