Compare towns
Altona vs Bennington vs Ellenburg vs Java
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Altona has the youngest population (median age 40).
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Ellenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Altona | Bennington | Ellenburg | Java |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,490 |
3,220Highest |
1,992Lowest |
2,049 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40±5Lowest about the NY average |
46.7±5.8Highest 17% above NY |
46.7±4.5Highest 17% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
| Ellenburg and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
24.4%±3.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Ellenburg and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 6.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7% NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.2%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,367±$3kLowest 40% below NY |
$89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
$73,125±$10k 15% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $151,400±$26k 64% below NY |
$244,400±$24kHighest 42% below NY |
$123,000±$16kLowest 71% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
| Bennington and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $997±$182Highest 38% below NY |
$942±$344 42% below NY |
$801±$192Lowest 51% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
| Altona and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,687Lowest 74% below NY |
$4,591Highest 30% below NY |
$2,412 63% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±29 NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Altona and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest NY: 14% |
8% NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
90.7% NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
27 minLowest 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
— |
| 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.