Compare towns
Union vs Ripton vs Clay vs Niagara Falls
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Clay has the youngest population (median age 39.8).
Niagara Falls has the most affordable homes ($115k median).
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 | Ripton | Clay | Niagara Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 55,078 |
508Lowest |
59,995Highest |
47,987 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
39.8±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
40.8±1.3 5% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Niagara Falls 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,713±$2k 24% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$90,707±$6k 12% above U.S. |
$49,101±$2kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5k 55% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$205,900±$6k 38% below U.S. |
$115,300±$6kLowest 65% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37 34% below U.S. |
— | $1,240±$40Highest 12% below U.S. |
$823±$33Lowest 42% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200 35% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$5,087Highest 63% above U.S. |
$2,786Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.6%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Niagara Falls and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
23.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
19 min 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±1.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton 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 | — | #249 of 484 in NY | #427 of 484 in NY |
| School district | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL | NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 14.0 |
15.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.