What stands out worked out from the figures below

Summit has the most affordable homes ($150k median).

Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).

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	Summit	Middlesex
People
Population	976Lowest	1,407Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.6%Highest NY: +4.2%	-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	55.7±7.3Highest 40% above NY	55.3±6Lowest 39% above NY
	Summit and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.7%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5%	18%±3.8Highest NY: 20.5%
	Middlesex and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.7%±8.7Highest NY: 17.9%	24.6%±3.1Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.7%Highest NY: 40.2%	21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0%±2Lowest NY: 7%	1.3%±1.3Highest NY: 7%
	Middlesex and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,375±$26kLowest 13% below NY	$75,750±$21kHighest 12% below NY
	Middlesex and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$150,000±$29kLowest 65% below NY	$208,100±$62kHighest 51% below NY
	Middlesex and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,406±$672 13% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,230Lowest 66% below NY	$3,459Highest 47% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NY: 52.1%	29.1%±39Highest NY: 52.1%
	Middlesex and Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest NY: 14%	5.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.7%Highest NY: 54.3%	90.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 22 yrs newer than NY	1974Lowest 15 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 3% above NY	25 minLowest 22% below NY
Work from home	5.3%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9%	18.2%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9%
Schools
School district	—	GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN)
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.