Compare towns
Arcade vs Ira vs Java 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).
Ira has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
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 | Ira | Java | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,915 |
2,019 |
2,049Highest |
1,731Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-6.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.7±4.6 12% above NY |
42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
44.9±4.5Highest 13% above NY |
| Waterville and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.8%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±1.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Arcade and Waterville 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% |
19%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
24.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±6.5Highest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Ira 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 |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$82,273±$13k 4% below NY |
| Ira and Java 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 |
$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$170,100±$12k 60% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $805±$176Lowest 50% below NY |
— | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$820±$132 49% below NY |
| Java and Waterville 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 |
$3,594 45% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$3,425Lowest 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±14Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
24%±10.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Arcade and Waterville 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% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
54.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% below NY |
30 minHighest 7% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
22 minLowest 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.3%±4.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
14.8%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Waterville and Java 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | — | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.