Lake Grove receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Grove
Mount Vernon
Opportunity
70 · Top 22%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Climate
70 · Bottom 48%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 4%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Schools
71 · Top 25%
vs36 · Bottom 30%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
64 · Top 43%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Grove | Mount Vernon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,061 | 72,427 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $118,311 | $78,779 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,798 | $42,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,755/sq mi | 16,491/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $598,900 | $484,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,184 | $1,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.3% | 42.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.2% | 35.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 29°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.0" | 45.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.6 min | 37.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.92 | 11.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.2% | 24.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 69.0% | 49.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.8% | 62.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lake Grove
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Mount Vernon
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Grove
70
Your Score
71
Area Score
Mount Vernon
58
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Grove, NY · Mount Vernon, NY · How this is calculated: methodology