Compare towns
Auburn vs Java vs Knox vs Melrose Park
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most renters (51.4% rent).
Java has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Knox has the most people working from home (17.5%).
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 | Auburn | Java | Knox | Melrose Park |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,285Highest |
2,049 |
2,559 |
1,960Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.1Lowest 3% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
49.8±6.7Highest 25% above NY |
45.3±8.1 14% above NY |
| Knox and Melrose Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.2%±3.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.6%±7.7 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Melrose Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
24.9%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Melrose Park and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
36.5% NY: 40.2% |
50.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±0.7 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
5.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±2.2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Knox and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,052±$5kLowest 41% below NY |
$95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$124,083±$14kHighest 44% above NY |
$103,723±$11k 21% above NY |
| Knox and Melrose Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$9kLowest 64% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$299,800±$37kHighest 29% below NY |
$224,400±$17k 47% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$50 45% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,125±$44Highest 31% below NY |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,998 39% below NY |
$3,775Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,451 32% below NY |
$4,902Highest 26% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55%±7.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.8%±34 NY: 52.1% |
17.9%±48.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Auburn and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.5%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
6.3% NY: 14% |
6.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 48.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.8% NY: 54.3% |
93.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947Lowest 12 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 40% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
26 min 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.7%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
17.5%±8.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±7 NY: 14.9% |
| Knox and Melrose Park 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 | #374 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | — |
| High school in town | AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.