Compare towns
Union vs Andover vs Vestal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Andover has the most people working from home (29.6%).
Vestal has the youngest population (median age 26.3).
Vestal is a college town. 33.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Union | Andover | Vestal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,078Highest |
616Lowest |
30,978 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
49.2±5.1Highest 26% above U.S. |
26.3±2.7Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Union and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.7%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Andover and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
33.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,713±$2kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$102,500±$38kHighest 27% above U.S. |
$83,012±$8k about the U.S. average |
| Andover and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$382,900±$68kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$193,500±$9k 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37Lowest 34% below U.S. |
$1,389±$364Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,199±$59 15% below U.S. |
| Andover and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$5,190Highest 66% above U.S. |
$4,907 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
69.4%±47.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
19 min 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
29.6%±12.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #199 of 484 in NY | — | #218 of 484 in NY |
| School district | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | VESTAL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | — | VESTAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.