Compare towns

Arcade vs Burke vs Java 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

Arcade has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Burke has the most kids (28.9% under 18).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
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.

MeasureArcadeBurkeJavaSheldon
People
Population
1,915
1,284Lowest
2,049
2,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-7.9%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
-3%
NY: +4.2%
-4.1%
NY: +4.2%
-1.7%Highest
NY: +4.2%
Median age
44.7±4.6
12% above NY
39.3±5.3Lowest
about the NY average
44.2±5.5
11% above NY
48.9±7.6Highest
23% above NY
Sheldon and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.9%±3.7
NY: 20.5%
28.9%±3.9Highest
NY: 20.5%
20.7%±4.7
NY: 20.5%
14.9%±3.9Lowest
NY: 20.5%
Burke and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.6%±4.1
NY: 17.9%
13.1%±1.8Lowest
NY: 17.9%
19.5%±3.6
NY: 17.9%
25%±3.2Highest
NY: 17.9%
Sheldon and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
22.5%
NY: 40.2%
11.2%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
24.6%Highest
NY: 40.2%
13.7%
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
8.5%±6.5Highest
NY: 7%
2.6%±1.4Lowest
NY: 7%
3%±2.4
NY: 7%
3.3%±2.8
NY: 7%
Arcade and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$58,695±$4kLowest
32% below NY
$63,750±$8k
26% below NY
$95,129±$24kHighest
11% above NY
$71,214±$5k
17% below NY
Java and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$172,300±$19k
59% below NY
$122,700±$20kLowest
71% below NY
$223,900±$30kHighest
47% below NY
$175,900±$14k
58% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$805±$176Lowest
50% below NY
$866±$31Highest
47% below NY
$863±$419
47% below NY
$818±$84
50% below NY
Burke and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,938Highest
40% below NY
$2,199Lowest
67% below NY
$3,775
43% below NY
$3,037
54% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
42.7%±14
NY: 52.1%
68.2%±35.8Highest
NY: 52.1%
2.5%±61.4Lowest
NY: 52.1%
50.9%±21.3
NY: 52.1%
Burke and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
17.7%
NY: 14%
18.5%Highest
NY: 14%
3.7%Lowest
NY: 14%
11.8%
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
50.6%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
83%
NY: 54.3%
95.2%Highest
NY: 54.3%
81.6%
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1962
3 yrs newer than NY
1979Highest
20 yrs newer than NY
1956Lowest
3 yrs older than NY
1963
4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
14% below NY
28 min
14% below NY
27 minLowest
17% below NY
33 minHighest
about the NY average
Work from home
6.3%±4.3
NY: 14.9%
8.4%±4.8
NY: 14.9%
9%±4.4Highest
NY: 14.9%
2.2%±1.6Lowest
NY: 14.9%
Java and Burke 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 #260 of 484 in NY — — —
On TownTapestry
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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.