What stands out worked out from the figures below

Suffern has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).

Pleasant Valley has the most people working from home (15%).

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	Suffern	Pleasant Valley
People
Population	11,441Highest	9,794Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.7%Highest NY: +4.2%	+1.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	40.7±3.5Lowest about the NY average	44.8±4.4Highest 13% above NY
	Pleasant Valley and Suffern are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.5%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5%	19.4%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Suffern and Pleasant Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.3%±3.2Lowest NY: 17.9%	20.8%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9%
	Pleasant Valley and Suffern are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	40.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.5Lowest NY: 7%	7.7%±3.4Highest NY: 7%
	Pleasant Valley and Suffern are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,607±$14kHighest 22% above NY	$101,731±$16kLowest 18% above NY
	Suffern and Pleasant Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$382,100±$30kHighest 10% below NY	$374,500±$32kLowest 12% below NY
	Suffern and Pleasant Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,091±$179Highest 29% above NY	$1,898±$356Lowest 17% above NY
	Suffern and Pleasant Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,692Highest 32% above NY	$8,106Lowest 23% above NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.3%±11.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	53.5%±13.5Highest NY: 52.1%
	Pleasant Valley and Suffern are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.1%Lowest NY: 14%	6.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%	71.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY	1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minLowest 12% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	12.7%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9%	15%±5.4Highest NY: 14.9%
	Pleasant Valley and Suffern 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	—	#297 of 484 in NY
School district	—	ARLINGTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · HYDE PARK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	None in town
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.