Compare towns
Java vs Arcade vs Dickinson 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 most expensive homes ($224k median).
Arcade has the most renters (49.4% rent).
Dickinson has the most people working from home (14.4%).
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 | Arcade | Dickinson | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
1,915Lowest |
5,001Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.4% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
44.7±4.6 12% above NY |
42.7±3.3Lowest 7% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.7 NY: 20.5% |
17.6%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 NY: 17.9% |
21.1%±4 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Arcade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6% NY: 40.2% |
22.5% NY: 40.2% |
32%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
8.5%±6.5Highest NY: 7% |
6.2%±1.2 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Dickinson 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 |
$58,695±$4kLowest 32% below NY |
$77,864±$14k 9% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Dickinson 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 |
$172,300±$19k 59% below NY |
$147,400±$17kLowest 65% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$805±$176Lowest 50% below NY |
$941±$68Highest 42% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
| Dickinson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$3,938Highest 40% below NY |
$3,523 46% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
42.7%±14 NY: 52.1% |
35.8%±13.8 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Arcade 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% |
17.7%Highest NY: 14% |
8.5% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.6% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
28 min 14% below NY |
17 minLowest 48% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
6.3%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
14.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Dickinson and Java 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 | — | #260 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | — | CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| 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.