Compare towns
Clayton vs Java vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clayton has the most renters (28.3% rent).
Java has the most people working from home (9%).
Lyme has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Java | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,693Highest |
2,049Lowest |
2,066 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+5.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.7±10.1Lowest 7% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
56.8±6.1Highest 43% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.6%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Clayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
36.2%±4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,357±$12k 5% above NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$81,400±$5kLowest 5% 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 |
$223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY |
$234,700±$20kHighest 45% below NY |
| Lyme and Clayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$320Highest 31% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$838±$190Lowest 48% below NY |
| Clayton and Java 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 |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,442 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±19.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
32.7%±52 NY: 52.1% |
| Clayton and Lyme 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% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
93.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 21% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.5%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
7%±4.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Lyme 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 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.