What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wheatfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

Niagara Falls has the most affordable homes ($115k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wheatfield	Niagara Falls
People
Population	18,549Lowest	47,987Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-3%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	47.3±2.1Highest 19% above NY	40.8±1.3Lowest about the NY average
Kids under 18	22.5%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5%	21.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Wheatfield and Niagara Falls 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%	18.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.3%Highest NY: 40.2%	22.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.5Highest NY: 7%	4.7%±1Lowest NY: 7%
	Wheatfield and Niagara Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,682±$6kHighest 9% above NY	$49,101±$2kLowest 43% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$314,900±$19kHighest 26% below NY	$115,300±$6kLowest 73% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$989±$87Highest 39% below NY	$823±$33Lowest 49% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,735Highest 13% below NY	$2,786Lowest 58% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.8%±11.9Highest NY: 52.1%	58.4%±6.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Wheatfield and Niagara Falls 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%	23.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.4%Highest NY: 54.3%	58.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 27 yrs newer than NY	1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 29% below NY	19 minLowest 41% below NY
Work from home	11.5%±2.5Highest NY: 14.9%	7.4%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Wheatfield and Niagara Falls 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	#9 of 484 in NY	#427 of 484 in NY
School district	NIAGARA-WHEATFIELD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	NIAGARA FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	15.3
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.