Compare towns
Union vs Chenango vs Clay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Chenango has the most homeowners (85.3%).
Clay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
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 | Chenango | Clay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,078 |
10,787Lowest |
59,995Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% NY: +4.2% |
-2.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2Highest 4% above NY |
41±2.8 3% above NY |
39.8±1Lowest about the NY average |
| Union and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.7%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Chenango and Clay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango 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 NY: 40.2% |
35.2% NY: 40.2% |
38.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2 NY: 7% |
4.4%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
| Union and Chenango 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 |
$86,646±$9k about the NY average |
$90,707±$6kHighest 6% above NY |
| Clay and Chenango 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 |
$172,000±$9k 59% below NY |
$205,900±$6kHighest 51% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,038±$97 36% below NY |
$1,240±$40Highest 24% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200 36% below NY |
$3,700Lowest 44% below NY |
$5,087Highest 23% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±8.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Union and Clay 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% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
8.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1964 5 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 46% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
21 min 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango and Clay 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 | #233 of 484 in NY | #249 of 484 in NY |
| School district | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4 |
11.1Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.