Compare towns
Western vs Ava vs Rome
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Western has the most expensive homes ($238k median).
Ava has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.6%).
Rome has the most people working from home (12.8%).
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 | Western | Ava | Rome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,839 |
633Lowest |
31,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48±6Highest 21% above NY |
46.9±8.7 18% above NY |
40.7±1.9Lowest about the NY average |
| Western and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.7%±4.4 NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Western and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±6.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
12.6%±4.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.8%±1.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
9.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
20.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
1.6%±2.5Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±0.7 NY: 7% |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,964±$16kHighest 3% above NY |
$71,875±$21k 16% below NY |
$59,925±$3kLowest 30% below NY |
| Western and Ava are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$69kHighest 44% below NY |
$125,700±$36kLowest 70% below NY |
$154,400±$6k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,024±$178Highest 37% below NY |
$750±$249Lowest 54% below NY |
$909±$59 44% below NY |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,930Highest 25% below NY |
$1,793Lowest 73% below NY |
$4,212 36% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±26.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
13.9%±67.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.6%±6.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Western and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.1% NY: 14% |
18.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% NY: 54.3% |
84.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
56.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1987Highest 28 yrs newer than NY |
1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 24% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
18 minLowest 45% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
12.8%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Rome and Ava 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 | — | — | #323 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | ROME CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | ROME FREE ACADEMY |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.2 |
| 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.