Compare towns
Waterloo vs Windham vs Tupper Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterloo has the most affordable homes ($114k median).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k median).
Tupper Lake has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Waterloo | Windham | Tupper Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,605 |
1,432Lowest |
5,104Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7% NY: +4.2% |
+0.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-13.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 50.8±4.5 28% above NY |
56.5±5.1Highest 42% above NY |
47.7±4.7Lowest 20% above NY |
| Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.8%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Tupper Lake and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±5 NY: 17.9% |
31.4%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.5%±4.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.5% NY: 40.2% |
43.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.5 NY: 7% |
6.6%±5Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,642±$9kLowest 40% below NY |
$76,477±$17kHighest 11% below NY |
$65,433±$11k 24% below NY |
| Windham and Tupper Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $114,300±$7kLowest 73% below NY |
$315,600±$74kHighest 26% below NY |
$151,300±$29k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $927±$49Highest 43% below NY |
$850±$295 48% below NY |
$793±$119Lowest 51% below NY |
| Waterloo and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,772Highest 43% below NY |
$3,363Lowest 49% below NY |
$3,670 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.6%±13.9 NY: 52.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
24.1%±9.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% NY: 14% |
7.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 35% below NY |
27 minHighest 18% below NY |
15 minLowest 55% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.2%±7.7 NY: 14.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Windham and Waterloo 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 | — | — | #459 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | NYS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES · TUPPER LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | TUPPER LAKE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.