Compare towns
Java vs Altona vs Sardinia vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Altona has the most affordable homes ($151k median).
Sardinia has the most people working from home (10.2%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Java | Altona | Sardinia | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,490 |
2,703Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
40±5Lowest about the NY average |
42.5±7.5 7% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
22.4%±6.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Sardinia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
18.6%±5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±4.7 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
6.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
21.7% NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
0.2%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
5%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Sardinia and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$51,367±$3kLowest 40% below NY |
$84,583±$34k about the NY average |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$151,400±$26kLowest 64% below NY |
$218,900±$19k 48% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$997±$182Highest 38% below NY |
$855±$83 47% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Altona and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$1,687Lowest 74% below NY |
$2,233 66% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
4.5%±28.2 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Altona and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.2%Highest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
90.8% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1961 2 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
27 min 16% below NY |
30 min 10% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.3%±2.1 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±6.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Sardinia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.