What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sparta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.5%).

Butternuts has the most people working from home (10.9%).

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	Sparta	Butternuts
People
Population	1,479Lowest	1,743Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.5%Highest NY: +4.2%	-6.8%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	49.7±4.4Highest 25% above NY	48.1±12.7Lowest 21% above NY
	Sparta and Butternuts are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%	15.5%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Sparta and Butternuts are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.3%±2.8Lowest NY: 17.9%	27.3%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%	34.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.6%±1.8Lowest NY: 7%	5.8%±2.9Highest NY: 7%
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,663±$6kLowest about the NY average	$90,313±$19kHighest 5% above NY
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$168,800±$27kLowest 60% below NY	$209,100±$25kHighest 51% below NY
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,139±$164Lowest 30% below NY	$1,159±$229Highest 29% below NY
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,596Highest 45% below NY	$2,822Lowest 57% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	66.7%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	53.1%±46.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Sparta and Butternuts are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.8%Highest NY: 14%	5.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	94.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY	1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 8% below NY	31 minHighest 6% below NY
Work from home	4.6%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9%	10.9%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Butternuts and Sparta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	GILBERTSVILLE-MOUNT UPTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	GILBERTSVILLE-MOUNT UPTON JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.8
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.