Compare towns
Dansville vs Ira vs Java vs Watson
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Ira has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
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 | Ira | Java | Watson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,908Lowest |
2,019 |
2,049Highest |
1,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-4.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44±6 11% above NY |
42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
43.7±5.4 10% above NY |
| Java and Dansville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Dansville and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.8 NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
20.1%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Watson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.8% NY: 40.2% |
19%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
19.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±4.4 NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Ira and Dansville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,400±$9k 19% below NY |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$68,864±$12kLowest 20% below NY |
| Ira and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $132,700±$25kLowest 69% below NY |
$158,800±$16k 63% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$161,300±$18k 62% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,143±$398Highest 29% below NY |
— | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$912±$194 44% below NY |
| Dansville and Watson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,302 50% below NY |
$3,594 45% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,510Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.1%±42Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
38.5%±40.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Dansville and Watson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.4%Highest NY: 14% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
8.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.5% NY: 54.3% |
88.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
93.5% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1981 22 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 21% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±5.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| 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.