Compare towns
Whiting vs Chenango vs Athens vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k median).
Chenango has the most homeowners (85.3%).
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Hancock has the youngest population (median age 33.8).
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 | Whiting | Chenango | Athens | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 532 |
10,787Highest |
431Lowest |
435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
41±2.8 5% above U.S. |
47.3±6.5Highest 22% above U.S. |
33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Athens and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Whiting and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chenango and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$86,646±$9k 7% above U.S. |
$68,438±$30kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$172,000±$9kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
$187,900±$11k 44% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,038±$97 27% below U.S. |
$1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$939±$19Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,227 36% above U.S. |
$3,700 19% above U.S. |
$5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
$3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.8%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athens and Chenango 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 | — | #233 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.