Compare towns
Sparta vs Niles vs Butternuts
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sparta has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.5%).
Niles has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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.
| Measure | Sparta | Niles | Butternuts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,479 |
1,147Lowest |
1,743Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.8% NY: +4.2% |
-6.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.4Highest 25% above NY |
46.9±9.1Lowest 18% above NY |
48.1±12.7 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% |
15.7%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Sparta and Niles 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% |
22.8%±1.2 NY: 17.9% |
27.3%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% NY: 40.2% |
26.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
34.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.8 NY: 7% |
0.7%±0.7Lowest 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±$6k about the NY average |
$80,588±$20kLowest 6% below NY |
$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 |
$197,100±$38k 53% below NY |
$209,100±$25kHighest 51% below NY |
| Butternuts and Niles 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 | $3,596 45% below NY |
$3,650Highest 45% below NY |
$2,822Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
62.5%±100 NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±46.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Sparta and Niles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% NY: 14% |
10.5%Highest NY: 14% |
5.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
94.5%Lowest 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 |
1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 8% below NY |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
31 minHighest 6% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.6%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
4.8%±3 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Butternuts and Niles 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 | 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.