Compare towns
Arcade vs Java vs Tompkins
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 (26.4% rent).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Tompkins has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
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 | Tompkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,210Highest |
2,049 |
1,187Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46±3.7 16% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
57.6±5.8Highest 45% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
8.8%±1.9Lowest 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+ | 21.5%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
30.6%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.6% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
18.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±3.1Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2 NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,011±$8k 28% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$61,103±$27kLowest 29% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$15kLowest 61% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$185,700±$23k 56% below NY |
| Java and Tompkins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $813±$152 50% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$483±$80Lowest 70% below NY |
| Java and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,172Highest 37% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$2,487Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±13.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4 NY: 52.1% |
0%±73.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Arcade and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1992Highest 33 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% below NY |
27 minLowest 17% below NY |
70 minHighest 115% above NY |
| Work from home | 6.1%±3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
23.5%±13.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Tompkins 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 | YORKSHIRE-PIONEER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.