What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wallkill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).

Mamakating has the most affordable homes ($247k 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	Wallkill	Mamakating
People
Population	31,023Highest	12,728Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest NY: +4.2%	+4.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	41.2±2.2Highest 4% above NY	36±3Lowest 10% below NY
	Wallkill and Mamakating are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.3Lowest NY: 20.5%	25.6%±3.2Highest NY: 20.5%
	Mamakating and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9%	13.7%±2.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Wallkill and Mamakating are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28%Lowest NY: 40.2%	29.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	2.5%±1Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,076±$4kHighest 12% above NY	$90,631±$10kLowest 5% above NY
	Wallkill and Mamakating are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$353,200±$13kHighest 17% below NY	$246,800±$19kLowest 42% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,790±$80Highest 10% above NY	$1,484±$168Lowest 8% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,623Highest about the NY average	$5,794Lowest 12% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±8.1Lowest NY: 52.1%	54.1%±14.2Highest NY: 52.1%
	Mamakating and Wallkill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11%Lowest NY: 14%	13.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	75.7%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY	1973Lowest 14 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% below NY	34 minHighest 4% above NY
Work from home	10.5%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9%	11.3%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9%
	Mamakating and Wallkill 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	#476 of 484 in NY	#433 of 484 in NY
School district	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	MONTICELLO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	None in town
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.