Compare towns
Castile vs Java vs Sheldon vs Gainesville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castile has the most people working from home (9.7%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Gainesville has the most affordable homes ($118k 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 | Castile | Java | Sheldon | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,710Highest |
2,049 |
2,216 |
1,839Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 49.9±4.8Highest 25% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
47.7±2.7 20% above NY |
| Castile and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±4.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
17.8%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Castile are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±4.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
| Castile and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.5% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
19.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.6%±2.6 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 | $65,625±$13k 24% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$56,250±$12kLowest 35% 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 | $151,600±$15k 64% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$117,500±$15kLowest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $654±$105Lowest 60% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$738±$435 54% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,019Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$3,256 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31.5%±15.1 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
38.5%±18.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.9%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
11.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
77.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 2 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1942Lowest 17 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
4.1%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Castile and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | LETCHWORTH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | — | LETCHWORTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.3 |
| 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.