Compare towns
Altona vs Java vs Seneca vs Sheldon
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 most affordable homes ($151k median).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
Seneca has the most people working from home (10.9%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Java | Seneca | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,490 |
2,049Lowest |
2,622Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40±5Lowest about the NY average |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Seneca 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% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Seneca 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% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.1% NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.2%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Java 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 |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $151,400±$26kLowest 64% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Java and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $997±$182 38% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Seneca and Altona 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 |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,810 57% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Altona and Sheldon 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% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 16% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
27 minLowest 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.1 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Seneca and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.