Compare towns
Java vs Arcade vs Ira 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).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
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 | Ira | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
1,915Lowest |
2,019 |
2,216Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% 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 |
42.8±3.1Lowest 8% 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% |
20.2%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Ira 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% |
21.6%±4.1 NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
22.5% NY: 40.2% |
19% 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% |
4.8%±2.3 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$58,695±$4kLowest 32% below NY |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Ira and Java 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 |
$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$805±$176Lowest 50% below NY |
— | $818±$84 50% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon 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 |
$3,594 45% 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% |
14.3%±35.4 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% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
28 min 14% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.3%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Ira 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 | — | — | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.