What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wallkill has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Middletown has the most kids (25.9% under 18).

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	Middletown
People
Population	31,023Highest	30,289Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.2%Highest NY: +4.2%	+8%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	41.2±2.2Highest 4% above NY	36.3±2.4Lowest 9% below NY
Kids under 18	20.7%±2.3Lowest NY: 20.5%	25.9%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5%
	Middletown 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%	13.6%±1.8Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Wallkill and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28%Highest NY: 40.2%	20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.8%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	5.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Wallkill and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$96,076±$4kHighest 12% above NY	$79,346±$8kLowest 8% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$353,200±$13kHighest 17% below NY	$308,600±$14kLowest 27% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,790±$80Highest 10% above NY	$1,661±$106Lowest about the NY average
	Wallkill and Middletown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,623Lowest about the NY average	$6,773Highest about the NY average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±8.1Lowest NY: 52.1%	55.3%±5.9Highest NY: 52.1%
	Middletown 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%	13.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	51.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY	1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 5% below NY	36 minHighest 10% above NY
Work from home	10.5%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9%	6%±1.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Wallkill and Middletown 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	#150 of 484 in NY
School district	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	MIDDLETOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
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.