What stands out worked out from the figures below

Windham has the most expensive homes ($316k median).

Waterloo has the most affordable homes ($114k 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	Windham	Waterloo
People
Population	1,432Lowest	4,605Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.3%Highest NY: +4.2%	-7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	56.5±5.1Highest 42% above NY	50.8±4.5Lowest 28% above NY
	Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	16.9%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Waterloo and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.4%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9%	29.4%±5Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.8%Highest NY: 40.2%	23.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.6%±5Highest NY: 7%	4.9%±2.5Lowest NY: 7%
	Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,477±$17kHighest 11% below NY	$51,642±$9kLowest 40% below NY
	Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$315,600±$74kHighest 26% below NY	$114,300±$7kLowest 73% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$850±$295Lowest 48% below NY	$927±$49Highest 43% below NY
	Waterloo and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,363Lowest 49% below NY	$3,772Highest 43% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.9%±35.7Highest NY: 52.1%	43.6%±13.9Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Windham and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest NY: 14%	11.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest NY: 54.3%	68.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 18% below NY	21 minLowest 35% below NY
Work from home	17.1%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9%	13.2%±7.7Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Windham and Waterloo 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

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.