What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hastings has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.1%).

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	Shawangunk	Hastings
People
Population	13,365Highest	9,345Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.1%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.5±1.5Lowest about the NY average	43.1±3.7Highest 8% above NY
	Hastings and Shawangunk 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%	17.3%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	13.6%±2Lowest NY: 17.9%	14.6%±2.7Highest NY: 17.9%
	Hastings 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%Highest NY: 40.2%	19.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±1.9Highest NY: 7%	4.4%±1.2Lowest NY: 7%
	Shawangunk and Hastings are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$109,536±$16kHighest 27% above NY	$84,027±$8kLowest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$360,100±$16kHighest 15% below NY	$187,700±$17kLowest 56% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,375±$281Highest 15% below NY	$917±$129Lowest 43% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,686Highest 17% above NY	$4,565Lowest 31% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.4%±21.5Highest NY: 52.1%	47.9%±11.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Shawangunk and Hastings 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%	10.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.8%Highest NY: 54.3%	79.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 20 yrs newer than NY	1984Highest 25 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 7% above NY	31 minLowest 6% below NY
Work from home	7.1%±2Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.9%±3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Hastings 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	#328 of 484 in NY
School district	WALLKILL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	CENTRAL SQUARE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	WALLKILL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL	PAUL V MOORE HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	11.9Lowest
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.