Compare towns
Brookfield vs Java vs Sheldon vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (11.5%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
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 | Brookfield | Java | Sheldon | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,150 |
2,049Lowest |
2,216 |
2,344Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
41.8±7 5% above NY |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
17.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3%±1.6 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 | $69,205±$9k 20% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$28k 64% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75Highest 39% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
| Brookfield and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197 51% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Brookfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 11% above NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | — | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.5 |
| 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.