Compare towns
Colesville vs Java vs Sheldon vs Collins
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colesville has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Collins has the most people working from home (11%).
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 | Colesville | Java | Sheldon | Collins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,797Highest |
2,049Lowest |
2,216 |
4,643 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-10.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 37.2±6.3Lowest 7% below NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
40.5±6.2 about the NY average |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29.1%±6.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.4%±6.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Colesville and Collins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Collins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 9.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
16.3% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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 | $61,317±$14k 29% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$60,905±$5kLowest 29% 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 | $134,800±$18kLowest 68% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$153,000±$11k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,312±$790Highest 19% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$799±$90Lowest 51% below NY |
| Colesville and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,638 60% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$2,501Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 81.7%±96.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
59.4%±38.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Colesville and Collins are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1950Lowest 9 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 32% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
24 min 26% below NY |
| Work from home | 3%±3 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11%±5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Collins and Java 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 | #442 of 484 in NY | — | — | #467 of 484 in NY |
| School district | HARPURSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | GOWANDA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | HARPURSVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8 |
— | — | — |
| 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.


