Compare towns
Denmark vs Java vs Gaines 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
Denmark has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Gaines has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Denmark | Java | Gaines | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,630 |
2,049Lowest |
3,216Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-4.5% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.9Highest 23% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
45.5±4.4 14% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.8%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Denmark and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±5.5 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.9%±6.5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.7% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
14.4% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.3 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
8.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Gaines and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $63,270±$4k 26% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$56,582±$8kLowest 34% 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 | $193,600±$25k 54% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$125,800±$19kLowest 70% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Java and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $952±$70Highest 41% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$922±$72 43% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Denmark and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,310 50% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,157 52% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37%±12.2 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
18.4%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Denmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.6% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
74.6% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 29% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
28 min 13% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 6.5%±2.4 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Gaines 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 | #142 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| 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.