What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bellmont has the most people working from home (4.5%).

Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bellmont	Sheldon
People
Population	1,167Lowest	2,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-7.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	54.6±2.7Highest 37% above NY	48.9±7.6Lowest 23% above NY
	Bellmont and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.6%±3.6Highest NY: 20.5%	14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Bellmont and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9%	25%±3.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Bellmont and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.9%Highest NY: 40.2%	13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±0.7Lowest NY: 7%	3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7%
	Sheldon and Bellmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,250±$11kLowest 18% below NY	$71,214±$5kHighest 17% below NY
	Sheldon and Bellmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$127,600±$20kLowest 70% below NY	$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,131±$319Highest 30% below NY	$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY
	Bellmont and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,156Lowest 67% below NY	$3,037Highest 54% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±22.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Sheldon and Bellmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.1%Lowest NY: 14%	11.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY	1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 23% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	4.5%±2.4Highest NY: 14.9%	2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Bellmont and Sheldon 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

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.