Compare towns
Cato vs Freedom vs Java
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cato has the most people working from home (11.2%).
Freedom has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k 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 | Cato | Freedom | Java |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,542Highest |
2,483 |
2,049Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.7±4Highest 22% above NY |
43.2±7Lowest 9% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
| Cato and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.6%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Cato and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% NY: 40.2% |
15.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.8 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cato and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,760±$11k 7% below NY |
$73,646±$24kLowest 14% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
| Java and Cato are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $167,600±$6kLowest 60% below NY |
$176,900±$19k 58% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$425Highest 42% below NY |
$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
| Cato and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,443 48% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±23.7 NY: 52.1% |
10.1%±32.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Freedom and Cato are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 30% below NY |
28 minHighest 15% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.2%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.9%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Cato 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 |
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.