What stands out worked out from the figures below

Shawangunk has the most affordable homes ($360k median).

Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).

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	Shawangunk	Freeport
People
Population	13,365Lowest	44,088Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+3.8%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.5±1.5Highest about the NY average	40±1.6Lowest about the NY average
	Shawangunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.1%±1.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	20%±1.9Highest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	13.6%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%	15.1%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9%
	Freeport and Shawangunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	27.5%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.9Highest NY: 7%	5.6%±1Lowest NY: 7%
	Shawangunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,536±$16kLowest 27% above NY	$120,625±$11kHighest 40% above NY
	Freeport and Shawangunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$360,100±$16kLowest 15% below NY	$505,900±$20kHighest 19% above NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$281Lowest 15% below NY	$2,077±$169Highest 28% above NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,686Lowest 17% above NY	$10,000+Highest at least 52% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.4%±21.5Highest NY: 52.1%	52.1%±12Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Shawangunk and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	35.9%Highest NY: 14%	7.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest NY: 54.3%	70.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1953Lowest 6 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 7% above NY	36 minHighest 10% above NY
Work from home	7.1%±2Lowest NY: 14.9%	9.8%±1.8Highest NY: 14.9%
	Freeport and Shawangunk 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	#94 of 484 in NY	—
School district	WALLKILL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
High school in town	WALLKILL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	—
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2	—
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.