Compare towns
Dannemora vs Java vs Sheldon vs Altona
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dannemora has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Altona has the most renters (22.3% rent).
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 | Dannemora | Java | Sheldon | Altona |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,684Highest |
2,049Lowest |
2,216 |
2,490 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -16.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 37.2±1.5Lowest 7% below NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
40±5 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 | 6.4%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Altona are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 4.9%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.6%±5 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 8% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
6.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
0.2%±0.7Lowest 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 | $62,411±$49k 27% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$51,367±$3kLowest 40% 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 | $134,400±$20kLowest 68% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$151,400±$26k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $740±$352Lowest 54% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$997±$182Highest 38% below NY |
| Altona and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,942 55% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$1,687Lowest 74% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±55.4 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Altona and Dannemora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
19.2%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 50% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 16% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5.8 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
2.3%±2.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Dannemora 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 | 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.