Compare towns
Barre vs Java vs Sheldon vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (18.7%).
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 | Barre | Java | Sheldon | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,910Lowest |
2,049 |
2,216Highest |
1,933 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.5% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.2±6.7 14% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
45.7±5.3 15% above NY |
| Sheldon and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.4%±4.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.4%±3.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Barre and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.8 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.5%±2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
14.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.2 NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,906±$14k 14% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$81,528±$21k 5% below NY |
| Java and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $135,900±$28k 68% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$123,500±$48kLowest 71% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,158±$208Highest 29% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$851±$10 48% below NY |
| Barre and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,466 47% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$1,649Lowest 75% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.7%±35.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
59.6%±41.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Barre and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 23.4%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
18.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.6% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.4% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1970Highest 11 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 36% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
37 minHighest 13% above NY |
| Work from home | 6.5%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
18.7%±17.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Salisbury and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.