2. Aurora
A tiny village in Cayuga County, Aurora had only 724 people living in it at the time of the census in 2010. The town had a vital role during the Revolutionary War as the residents of the community that stood on the land at the time of the war decided to side with the British, according to history detailed on the town’s official website.
Unfortunately, this meant that the village was destroyed and the tiny community had to rebuild itself over the next century. The entire village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and a number of buildings within the community were granted further historic status.
Because the community is so small, there are never many houses on the market. Often, just a few homes are up for sale and their prices tend to vary an incredible amount, according to recent figures posted on real estate website Trulia. A house might be for sale that costs around $160,000 while another house a few blocks away might be on the market for over a million. The seasons in Aurora are beautiful and residents get to see temperatures at or below the freezing point in the winter and the summer sees temperatures reach above 80 degrees, according to The Weather Channel.
Much of the population of the town is made up of college students and professors who teach at the local school, Wells College. This small college offers a variety of degrees in areas like biology, chemistry, and economics. The school courted controversy when it suggested expanding the campus at the expense of a few historic buildings in town.
An article by the Aurora Coalition offered some fascinating details on the history of the college. Wells College got its name from Henry Wells, who founded banking giant Wells Fargo and who was the first president of American Express.
