What stands out worked out from the figures below

Tonawanda has the most people working from home (16.4%).

Plattsburgh has the highest household income ($72k).

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	Tonawanda	Plattsburgh
People
Population	15,030Highest	11,830Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	0%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+0.1%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	43.5±2.8Lowest 9% above NY	45.2±1.9Highest 14% above NY
	Plattsburgh and Tonawanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.3%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.7%±2.5Highest NY: 20.5%
	Plattsburgh and Tonawanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3Lowest NY: 17.9%	23.7%±2.7Highest NY: 17.9%
	Plattsburgh and Tonawanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Highest NY: 40.2%	27.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.7%±2.3Highest NY: 7%	3%±0.8Lowest NY: 7%
	Tonawanda and Plattsburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,326±$8kLowest 32% below NY	$71,546±$5kHighest 17% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$173,600±$7kLowest 59% below NY	$179,900±$11kHighest 58% below NY
	Plattsburgh and Tonawanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$835±$176Lowest 48% below NY	$1,053±$86Highest 35% below NY
	Plattsburgh and Tonawanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,089Highest 38% below NY	$3,573Lowest 46% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.9%±9.6Highest NY: 52.1%	38.9%±12.5Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Tonawanda and Plattsburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest NY: 14%	10.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest NY: 54.3%	76.1%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 8 yrs older than NY	1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 30% below NY	19 minLowest 43% below NY
Work from home	16.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9%	7.6%±3.2Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Tonawanda and Plattsburgh 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	#432 of 484 in NY	#153 of 484 in NY
School district	TONAWANDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	BEEKMANTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	TONAWANDA MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.