Compare towns
Grand Island vs Java vs Lysander vs Onondaga
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grand Island has the most expensive homes ($327k median).
Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).
Lysander has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
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 | Grand Island | Java | Lysander | Onondaga |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,488 |
2,049Lowest |
23,086Highest |
22,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.7±2.5Highest 15% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.6±1.9Lowest 10% above NY |
45.4±2.7 14% above NY |
| Grand Island and Onondaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±2.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
24.4%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±2 NY: 20.5% |
| Lysander and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±2.4 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±2.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Onondaga and Grand Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
47.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
46.2% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.3 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±0.9 NY: 7% |
8.1%±1.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,991±$12kHighest 35% above NY |
$95,129±$24kLowest 11% above NY |
$107,984±$5k 26% above NY |
$104,448±$5k 21% above NY |
| Grand Island and Lysander are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $327,000±$14kHighest 23% below NY |
$223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY |
$288,400±$18k 32% below NY |
$246,200±$15k 42% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,199±$67 26% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,130±$100 30% below NY |
$1,333±$128Highest 18% below NY |
| Onondaga and Grand Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,850 11% below NY |
$3,775Lowest 43% below NY |
$6,748Highest about the NY average |
$5,480 17% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.3 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.5%±10.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
51.1%±11.5 NY: 52.1% |
| Lysander and Onondaga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.1% NY: 14% |
3.7% NY: 14% |
5.8%Highest NY: 14% |
3.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 42% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
24 min 26% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 18%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
16.6%±3.1 NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±2.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Grand Island and Lysander 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 | #145 of 484 in NY | — | #158 of 484 in NY | #122 of 484 in NY |
| School district | GRAND ISLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | WESTHILL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · ONONDAGA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | GRAND ISLAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | CHARLES W BAKER HIGH SCHOOL | WESTHILL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 15.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.