Compare towns
Afton vs Java vs Russia vs Brasher
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Afton has the most renters (28.9% rent).
Java has the most people working from home (9%).
Russia has the most expensive homes ($232k median).
Brasher has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
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 | Afton | Java | Russia | Brasher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,733Highest |
2,049Lowest |
2,272 |
2,592 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.6±6.3Highest 20% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±2.9Lowest 10% above NY |
46.6±9 17% above NY |
| Afton and Brasher are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.4%±6.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.6 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Brasher and Afton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 11.6% NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
10.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Brasher and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,736±$13kLowest 40% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
$53,911±$14k 37% below NY |
| Java and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,700±$23k 70% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$232,200±$44kHighest 45% below NY |
$124,300±$24kLowest 71% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $826±$212 49% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$888±$325Highest 45% below NY |
$730±$195Lowest 55% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,395 48% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,939 55% below NY |
$2,500Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66%±45.7 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
74.3%±27.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Brasher and Afton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
22.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
75.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 29% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 minLowest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.5%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5 NY: 14.9% |
1.9%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Russia 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 | #418 of 484 in NY | — | — | #300 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | POLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BRASHER FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | AFTON JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | POLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 6.7Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.