Compare towns
Arcade vs Eagle vs Sheldon vs Waterville
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).
Eagle has the most kids (26.1% under 18).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Waterville has the most people working from home (14.8%).
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 | Arcade | Eagle | Sheldon | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,915 |
1,231Lowest |
2,216Highest |
1,731 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-7.3% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.7±4.6 12% above NY |
37.8±12.6Lowest 5% below NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
44.9±4.5 13% above NY |
| Sheldon and Waterville 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% |
26.1%±9.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.8%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Eagle and Waterville 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% |
16.7%±1.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±1.6 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% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
24.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±6.5Highest NY: 7% |
2.8%±1.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$72,778±$19k 15% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$82,273±$13kHighest 4% below NY |
| Waterville and Eagle 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 |
$148,900±$41kLowest 65% below NY |
$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY |
$170,100±$12k 60% below NY |
| Sheldon and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $805±$176 50% below NY |
$736±$101Lowest 55% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$820±$132Highest 49% below NY |
| Waterville and Sheldon 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 |
$2,753Lowest 58% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$3,425 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±14 NY: 52.1% |
54.7%±33Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
24%±10.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Eagle and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.7%Highest NY: 14% |
14.8% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
8.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.6% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
54.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% below NY |
30 min 8% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
22 minLowest 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.3%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.5 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.8%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Waterville and Eagle 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 | ||||
| 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.