Compare towns
Sullivan vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the most affordable homes ($194k median).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
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 | Sullivan | Amherst |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 14,690Lowest |
130,546Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45±2.1Highest 13% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±1.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Amherst and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $80,948±$6kLowest 6% below NY |
$93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $194,100±$12kLowest 54% below NY |
$311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$135Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,542Lowest 31% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±13.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Amherst and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 21% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.9%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #87 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CHITTENANGO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CHITTENANGO HIGH SCHOOL | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.