What stands out worked out from the figures below

Union has the most people working from home (9%).

Arcade has the most homeowners (73.6%).

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	Union	Arcade
People
Population	55,078Highest	4,210Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.4% NY: +4.2%	-0.4% NY: +4.2%
Median age	41.4±1.2Lowest 4% above NY	46±3.7Highest 16% above NY
	Arcade and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5%	16.3%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Union and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9%	21.5%±3.8Highest NY: 17.9%
	Arcade 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%Highest NY: 40.2%	23.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7%	5.6%±3.1Lowest NY: 7%
	Union and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,713±$2kLowest 28% below NY	$62,011±$8kHighest 28% below NY
	Arcade and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$149,900±$5kLowest 65% below NY	$163,900±$15kHighest 61% below NY
	Arcade and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$936±$37Highest 42% below NY	$813±$152Lowest 50% below NY
	Union and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,200Highest 36% below NY	$4,172Lowest 37% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.2%±5.6Highest NY: 52.1%	40.4%±13.5Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Union and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.2%Highest NY: 14%	11.4%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%	73.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 46% below NY	29 minHighest 10% below NY
Work from home	9%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9%	6.1%±3Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Union and Arcade 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	#199 of 484 in NY	#260 of 484 in NY
School district	UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	YORKSHIRE-PIONEER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	—
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.