Compare towns
Groton vs Java vs Dryden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Groton has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).
Dryden has the most people working from home (15.3%).
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 | Groton | Java | Dryden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,612 |
2,049Lowest |
13,604Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 43±7.9 8% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
40.5±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
| Java and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
15.9%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Groton and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±3.5 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Java and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
51.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
10.2%±1.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,113±$12kLowest 20% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$81,127±$4k 6% below NY |
| Java and Dryden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$9kLowest 61% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$242,600±$15kHighest 43% below NY |
| Dryden and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$239 37% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$1,074±$90Highest 34% below NY |
| Dryden and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,955 40% below NY |
$3,775Lowest 43% below NY |
$6,334Highest 4% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±25.2 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
49.4%±8.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Dryden and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
13.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
63.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 11 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 35% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
19 minLowest 41% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.9 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.3%±2.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Dryden and Groton 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 | #322 of 484 in NY | — | #356 of 484 in NY |
| School district | DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · GROTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · GEORGE JUNIOR REPUBLIC UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | GROTON JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | DRYDEN HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.