Compare towns
Bennington vs Java vs Hopewell vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Hopewell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Wales has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
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 | Bennington | Java | Hopewell | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,220 |
2,049Lowest |
3,906Highest |
3,015 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+0.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.8Highest 17% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
46±4.2 16% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
| Bennington and Hopewell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Wales and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.8%±5.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Hopewell and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
10.1%±1.9Highest NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$84,358±$23kLowest about the NY average |
$88,590±$19k 3% above NY |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $244,400±$24k 42% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$171,800±$33kLowest 59% below NY |
$244,800±$33kHighest 42% below NY |
| Wales and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$344 42% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,290±$518Highest 20% below NY |
$950±$503 41% below NY |
| Hopewell and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,591 30% below NY |
$3,775Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,094 38% below NY |
$4,782Highest 27% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.4%±29Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
24%±27.1 NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Bennington and Hopewell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.5%Highest NY: 14% |
4.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
90.3% NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
17 minLowest 47% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.9%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington 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 | — | — | — | #321 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | — | None in town |
| 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.