Compare towns
Ellington vs Java vs Sheldon vs Cherry Creek
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellington has the most affordable homes ($114k median).
Java has the most people working from home (9%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Cherry Creek has the most renters (25.2% 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 | Ellington | Java | Sheldon | Cherry Creek |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,554 |
2,049 |
2,216Highest |
1,060Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.1±4.8Lowest 6% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
42.2±2.7 6% above NY |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.2%±5.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Cherry Creek and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.7%±6.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
26.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,000±$15k 24% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$57,058±$6kLowest 34% 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 | $114,300±$13kLowest 73% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$122,700±$19k 71% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $681±$342Lowest 58% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$741±$63 54% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,472 62% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$2,457Lowest 63% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
60.5%±100 NY: 52.1% |
| Ellington and Cherry Creek are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
27.2%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
74.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 24% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
24 minLowest 26% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.6%±5.5 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | — | PINE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (SOUTH DAYTON) |
| High school in town | — | — | — | PINE VALLEY CENTRAL JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 6.6 |
| 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.