Compare towns
Dansville vs Java vs Shelby vs Sheldon
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).
Shelby has the most people working from home (12.5%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Shelby | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,653 |
2,049Lowest |
4,858Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.1% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.2±3.7 14% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
45±3.2 13% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Dansville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
17%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Dansville 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% |
22.6%±3.5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Shelby 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% |
18.7% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.2%±0.8 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest 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 | $57,329±$7kLowest 33% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$65,655±$14k 24% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% 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 | $118,600±$10kLowest 72% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$136,000±$29k 68% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $906±$168Highest 44% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$788±$214Lowest 51% below NY |
$818±$84 50% 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 |
$3,903Highest 41% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±16.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
30.9%±12.3 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Dansville and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.5%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
67.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1943 16 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 19% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
26 minLowest 19% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
12.5%±5.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Shelby 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 | — | — | #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.