Compare towns
Groton vs Java vs Sandy Creek
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Sandy Creek has the most people working from home (15.5%).
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 | Sandy Creek |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,612Highest |
2,049Lowest |
3,806 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 43±7.9Lowest 8% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
44±5.7 11% above NY |
| Java and Sandy Creek 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%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Groton and Sandy Creek are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19%±3.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±3.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sandy Creek and Java 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
1.6%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,113±$12k 20% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$66,583±$12kLowest 23% below NY |
| Java and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,900±$9k 61% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$161,800±$26kLowest 62% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,018±$239Highest 37% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$794±$94Lowest 51% below NY |
| Groton and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,955Highest 40% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$3,179Lowest 52% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±25.2 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
64.2%±16.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sandy Creek 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% |
22%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
73%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 11 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 35% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.2%±4.9 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
15.5%±7.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Sandy Creek 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 | — | #183 of 484 in NY |
| School district | DRYDEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · GROTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | SANDY CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | GROTON JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | SANDY CREEK HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.0Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.