Compare towns
Gainesville vs Java 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
Gainesville has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Java has the most people working from home (9%).
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 | Gainesville | Java | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,839Lowest |
2,049 |
2,216Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.7±2.7 20% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±2.6Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 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 | $56,250±$12kLowest 35% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above 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 | $117,500±$15kLowest 72% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $738±$435Lowest 54% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% 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 | $3,256 51% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.5%±18.9 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 17 yrs older than NY |
1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 35% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 4.1%±2.3 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | LETCHWORTH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | LETCHWORTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.