Compare towns
Ira vs Java vs Freedom vs Yates
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the highest household income ($97k).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
Yates has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
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 | Ira | Java | Freedom | Yates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,019Lowest |
2,049 |
2,483Highest |
2,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1 8% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
43.2±7 9% above NY |
40.9±5.3Lowest about the NY average |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.4%±4.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Yates and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.9 NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Java and Yates are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
15.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
21.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.8 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Ira and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$73,646±$24kLowest 14% below NY |
$87,337±$17k about the NY average |
| Ira and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $158,800±$16k 63% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$176,900±$19k 58% below NY |
$141,000±$22kLowest 67% below NY |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY |
$854±$120 47% below NY |
| Java and Yates are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,594 45% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,443 48% below NY |
$2,875Lowest 56% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
10.1%±32.5 NY: 52.1% |
51.6%±30.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Yates and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
7% NY: 14% |
18.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.9% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 7% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
28 min 15% below NY |
21 minLowest 36% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.9%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
6%±4.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | LYNDONVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | L A WEBBER MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | — | 8.6Lowest |
| 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.