Compare towns
Wells vs Broome vs Tompkins
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has the most kids (14.8% under 18).
Broome has the shortest commute (36 min average).
Tompkins has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Wells | Broome | Tompkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 671Lowest |
773 |
1,187Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.3% NY: +4.2% |
-11.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 59.8±3.5Highest 50% above NY |
55.2±3.7Lowest 39% above NY |
57.6±5.8 45% above NY |
| Wells and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±4.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
7.9%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
8.8%±1.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Wells and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±7.6 NY: 17.9% |
27%±2.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
30.6%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Tompkins and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
18.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.9Lowest NY: 7% |
7.1%±6.3Highest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2 NY: 7% |
| Broome and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,286±$31k 14% below NY |
$78,490±$12kHighest 9% below NY |
$61,103±$27kLowest 29% below NY |
| Broome and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $268,600±$45kHighest 37% below NY |
$179,200±$63kLowest 58% below NY |
$185,700±$23k 56% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,231±$254Highest 24% below NY |
$483±$80Lowest 70% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,588 61% below NY |
$4,096Highest 38% below NY |
$2,487Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
0%±100Lowest NY: 52.1% |
0%±73.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Wells and Broome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
8.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7% NY: 54.3% |
92.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 13 yrs newer than NY |
1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1992Highest 33 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 43 min 32% above NY |
36 minLowest 11% above NY |
70 minHighest 115% above NY |
| Work from home | 3.6%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.6%±7.4 NY: 14.9% |
23.5%±13.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Tompkins and Broome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.