Compare towns
Union vs Vestal
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 oldest population (median age 41.4).
Vestal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Vestal |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 55,078Highest |
30,978Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.4±1.2Highest 4% above NY |
26.3±2.7Lowest 34% below NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
17%±2.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Union and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±1.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.4%±1.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
44.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
33.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $61,713±$2kLowest 28% below NY |
$83,012±$8kHighest 3% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $149,900±$5kLowest 65% below NY |
$193,500±$9kHighest 54% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $936±$37Lowest 42% below NY |
$1,199±$59Highest 26% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,200Lowest 36% below NY |
$4,907Highest 25% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±5.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±9.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Vestal and Union 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% |
11.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
76.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1968Highest 9 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 46% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.3%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Vestal and Union 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 | #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 |
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.