Compare towns
Arcade vs Java vs Union vs Tupper Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Union has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Tupper Lake has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Union | Tupper Lake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,210 |
2,049Lowest |
55,078Highest |
5,104 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-13.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46±3.7 16% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
41.4±1.2Lowest 4% above NY |
47.7±4.7Highest 20% above NY |
| Tupper Lake and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
18.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Union 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% |
21.4%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
25.5%±4.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Tupper Lake and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.6% NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±3.1 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
6.1%±0.9Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Union and Arcade 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 |
$61,713±$2kLowest 28% below NY |
$65,433±$11k 24% below NY |
| Java and Tupper Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$15k 61% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$149,900±$5kLowest 65% below NY |
$151,300±$29k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $813±$152 50% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$936±$37Highest 42% below NY |
$793±$119Lowest 51% below NY |
| Union and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,172 37% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$4,200Highest 36% below NY |
$3,670Lowest 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±13.5 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
49.2%±5.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
24.1%±9.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Union and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
16.2% NY: 14% |
17.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
58.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
71.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
18 min 46% below NY |
15 minLowest 55% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.1%±3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±1.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #260 of 484 in NY | — | #199 of 484 in NY | #459 of 484 in NY |
| School district | YORKSHIRE-PIONEER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NYS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES · TUPPER LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | None in town | — | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | TUPPER LAKE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| 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.