Compare towns
Independence vs Java vs Russia vs Willing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Independence has the most renters (16.9% rent).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Russia has the most expensive homes ($232k median).
Willing has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).
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 | Independence | Java | Russia | Willing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 756Lowest |
2,049 |
2,272Highest |
1,616 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.9±5.9Lowest 5% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
43.9±2.9 10% above NY |
42.9±3.3 8% above NY |
| Java and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.6 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
22.2%±7.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Willing and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±4.4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.9%±6.4 NY: 17.9% |
| Russia and Willing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
19.9% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±3.9Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
2.8%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Independence and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$15kLowest 20% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
$68,778±$5k 20% below NY |
| Java and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $100,800±$27k 76% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$232,200±$44kHighest 45% below NY |
$99,000±$17kLowest 77% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $609±$84Lowest 62% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$888±$325Highest 45% below NY |
$636±$166 61% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,606 60% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,939 55% below NY |
$2,479Lowest 62% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±29.2 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
26.5%±61.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Russia and Willing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.1%Highest NY: 14% |
4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
93.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
23 minLowest 31% below NY |
| Work from home | 1.3%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5 NY: 14.9% |
14.4%±5.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Willing and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | POLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | POLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.