Compare towns
Dansville vs Java vs Sardinia vs Shelby
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dansville has the most affordable homes ($119k median).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sardinia has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.1%).
Shelby has the most people working from home (12.5%).
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 | Dansville | Java | Sardinia | Shelby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,653 |
2,049Lowest |
2,703 |
4,858Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.2±3.7Highest 14% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
42.5±7.5Lowest 7% above NY |
45±3.2 13% above NY |
| Dansville and Shelby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
22.4%±6.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
17%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Sardinia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.2%±5.4 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±4.7 NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Shelby and Dansville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.6% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.7% NY: 40.2% |
18.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
5%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
1.2%±0.8 NY: 7% |
| Sardinia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $57,329±$7kLowest 33% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$84,583±$34k about the NY average |
$65,655±$14k 24% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $118,600±$10kLowest 72% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$218,900±$19k 48% below NY |
$136,000±$29k 68% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$168Highest 44% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$855±$83 47% below NY |
$788±$214Lowest 51% below NY |
| Dansville and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,529 46% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$2,233Lowest 66% below NY |
$3,903Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±16.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
4.5%±28.2 NY: 52.1% |
30.9%±12.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 6.7% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
12.5%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
90.8% NY: 54.3% |
67.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1961Highest 2 yrs newer than NY |
1943 16 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 19% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
30 minHighest 10% below NY |
26 minLowest 19% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±6.1 NY: 14.9% |
12.5%±5.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Shelby and Sardinia 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 | — | — | — | #401 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | — | MEDINA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | — | MEDINA JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.