What stands out worked out from the figures below

Solvay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).

Fairmount has the most people working from home (11.6%).

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	Solvay	Fairmount
People
Population	6,544Lowest	9,724Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	+0.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	38.9±2.3Lowest about the NY average	39.8±3.8Highest about the NY average
	Fairmount and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5%	21%±4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Solvay and Fairmount are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±3.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.9%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9%
	Fairmount and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Lowest NY: 40.2%	41.4%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.9%±2.5Highest NY: 7%	3.5%±1.7Lowest NY: 7%
	Solvay and Fairmount are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,166±$7kLowest 29% below NY	$84,225±$7kHighest about the NY average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$150,000±$13kLowest 65% below NY	$184,000±$10kHighest 57% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$946±$77Lowest 42% below NY	$1,341±$133Highest 17% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,459Lowest 32% below NY	$4,873Highest 26% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.1%±9.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	47.7%±16.8Highest NY: 52.1%
	Fairmount and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Lowest NY: 14%	8.2%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%	81.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 12 yrs older than NY	1961Highest 2 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 41% below NY	19 minHighest 40% below NY
Work from home	6.9%±3.2Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.6%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9%
	Fairmount and Solvay 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.