LeRay, NY: Fort Drum Town Struggles with High Costs and Water Violations

LeRay, a town outside Fort Drum in upstate New York, lands on a recent AARP Livability Index bottom 10 list due to housing costs that run about 67% above the regional median, about one-third of residents facing drinking-water violations, and a very low civic-engagement score; analysts say military pay scales (BAH) drive rents, creating an affordability paradox for a community that should be comparatively affordable near a large base.