Compare towns
Union vs Ripton vs Rome
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 affordable homes ($150k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Rome has the most renters (43.4% rent).
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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 55,078Highest |
508Lowest |
31,795 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
40.7±1.9Lowest 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% |
19.5%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rome and Union 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% |
19.8%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.8%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% |
3.3%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,713±$2k 24% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$59,925±$3kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5kLowest 55% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$154,400±$6k 54% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37Highest 34% below U.S. |
— | $909±$59Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Union and Rome 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. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,212 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.6%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Union 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
56.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 33% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.8%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Rome 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 | — | #323 of 484 in NY |
| School district | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | ROME FREE ACADEMY |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 13.2Highest |
| 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.