What stands out worked out from the figures below

Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Utica	Niagara Falls
People
Population	64,217Highest	47,987Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-3%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY	40.8±1.3Highest about the NY average
Kids under 18	25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5%	21.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	15.2%±1Lowest NY: 17.9%	18.5%±1.2Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%	22.7%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.4%±0.8Highest NY: 7%	4.7%±1Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,484±$3kHighest 39% below NY	$49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY
	Utica and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$151,300±$6kHighest 64% below NY	$115,300±$6kLowest 73% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$951±$24Highest 41% below NY	$823±$33Lowest 49% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,246Highest 51% below NY	$2,786Lowest 58% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±5Lowest NY: 52.1%	58.4%±6.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Niagara Falls and Utica are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	27.5%Highest NY: 14%	23.7%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	49.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	58.5%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY	1949Highest 10 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 40% below NY	19 minLowest 41% below NY
Work from home	7.5%±1.2Highest NY: 14.9%	7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Utica and Niagara Falls 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	#383 of 484 in NY	#427 of 484 in NY
School district	NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL	NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	16.6Highest	15.3Lowest
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.