Compare towns
Clayton vs Dickinson vs Java vs Amenia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dickinson has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).
Amenia has the most people working from home (21.1%).
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 | Clayton | Dickinson | Java | Amenia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,693 |
5,001Highest |
2,049Lowest |
3,857 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.4% NY: +4.2% |
-3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-15%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.7±10.1Lowest 7% above NY |
42.7±3.3Lowest 7% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
43.4±3.5 9% above NY |
| Java and Amenia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
17.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
23.7%±6.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Amenia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.1%±4 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.5%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Clayton and Dickinson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
32% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 NY: 7% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.6%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Dickinson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,357±$12k 5% above NY |
$77,864±$14k 9% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$76,426±$15kLowest 11% below NY |
| Java and Clayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $226,800±$20k 46% below NY |
$147,400±$17kLowest 65% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$309,500±$35kHighest 27% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$320 31% below NY |
$941±$68 42% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,423±$292Highest 12% below NY |
| Amenia and Clayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,048Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,523 46% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,620 45% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±19.3 NY: 52.1% |
35.8%±13.8 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
63.5%±23.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Amenia and Clayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.8%Highest NY: 14% |
8.5% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.7% NY: 54.3% |
75.6% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
68.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
35 minHighest 6% above NY |
| Work from home | 5.5%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.4%±5.9 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
21.1%±8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Amenia and Dickinson 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 | #259 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | THOUSAND ISLANDS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | None 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.