Compare towns
Altona vs Sheldon vs Ellenburg
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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Sheldon has the most expensive homes ($176k median).
Ellenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Sheldon | Ellenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,490Highest |
2,216 |
1,992Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40±5Lowest about the NY average |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
46.7±4.5 17% above NY |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Ellenburg and Altona 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% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
24.4%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
16.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.2%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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 |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$73,125±$10kHighest 15% below NY |
| Ellenburg and Sheldon 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 |
$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY |
$123,000±$16kLowest 71% below NY |
| Sheldon and Altona 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 |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$801±$192Lowest 51% below NY |
| Altona and Sheldon 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 |
$3,037Highest 54% below NY |
$2,412 63% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7Lowest 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% |
11.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
83.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 16% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.1 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Ellenburg and Altona 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 | 1 photos → | 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.