Compare towns
Seneca vs Lenox vs Benton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Seneca has the highest household income ($91k).
Lenox has the most affordable homes ($162k median).
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 | Seneca | Lenox | Benton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,622Lowest |
8,658Highest |
2,948 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
45.1±2Highest 13% above NY |
40.6±8.4Lowest about the NY average |
| Lenox and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.7%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
30.1%±5.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.8%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Benton and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% NY: 40.2% |
21.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
27.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4 NY: 7% |
3.5%±1Highest NY: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Lenox and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,658±$21kHighest 5% above NY |
$75,900±$8k 12% below NY |
$74,767±$13kLowest 13% below NY |
| Seneca and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
$161,600±$9kLowest 62% below NY |
$258,600±$51kHighest 39% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$935±$83Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,541±$628 5% below NY |
| Seneca and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
$4,184Highest 36% below NY |
$3,391 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.2%±24.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
38.5%±9.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.5%±10.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.4% NY: 14% |
19.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.2% NY: 54.3% |
75.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
23 minLowest 30% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.9%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
8%±3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±5.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Benton and Seneca 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 | — | #412 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6 |
— |
| 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.