Compare towns
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
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 | Gaines | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,216Highest |
2,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.5±4.4Lowest 14% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Sheldon and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 24.9%±6.5Lowest 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+ | 14.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest NY: 7% |
| Gaines and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $56,582±$8kLowest 34% below NY |
$71,214±$5kHighest 17% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,800±$19kLowest 70% below NY |
$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $922±$72Highest 43% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Gaines and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,157Highest 52% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.4%±16.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Gaines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 13% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 13.6%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.