Compare towns
Arcade vs Java vs Sheldon vs Waterford
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).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
Waterford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Java | Sheldon | Waterford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,915Lowest |
2,049 |
2,216Highest |
2,085 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
+2.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.7±4.6 12% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
42.4±5.7Lowest 7% 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% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.8%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Arcade 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% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
25.7%±5.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Waterford and Sheldon 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% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.5%±6.5Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
4.3%±2.9 NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Waterford 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 |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$72,938±$12k 15% below NY |
| Java and Waterford 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 |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$157,500±$30kLowest 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $805±$176Lowest 50% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$1,082±$91Highest 33% below NY |
| Waterford 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 |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,534 46% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.7%±14 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
26.5%±11.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Arcade 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% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
10.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
53.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
23 minLowest 29% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.3%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14%±8.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Waterford 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 | — | — | #286 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.