Compare towns
Wheatfield vs Amherst vs Niagara
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wheatfield has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Niagara has the most affordable homes ($146k 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.
| Measure | Wheatfield | Amherst | Niagara |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,549 |
130,546Highest |
7,797Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% NY: +4.2% |
+5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-5.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.3±2.1Highest 19% above NY |
39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
42.3±9 6% above NY |
| Wheatfield and Niagara are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.2%±1 NY: 20.5% |
18.3%±4.1Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±2.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23%±3.9 NY: 17.9% |
| Wheatfield and Niagara are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% NY: 40.2% |
57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,682±$6kHighest 9% above NY |
$93,483±$2k 9% above NY |
$56,645±$5kLowest 34% below NY |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $314,900±$19kHighest 26% below NY |
$311,600±$7k 26% below NY |
$146,200±$23kLowest 66% below NY |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $989±$87Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
$1,077±$117 34% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,735 13% below NY |
$5,935Highest 10% below NY |
$3,388Lowest 49% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±11.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
53.1%±4.3 NY: 52.1% |
29%±13.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Wheatfield and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.1% NY: 14% |
21.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% NY: 54.3% |
69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
76.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 27 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1967Lowest 8 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 29% below NY |
20 min 39% below NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.5 NY: 14.9% |
15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.7%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 484 in NY | #72 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | None in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.