Compare towns
Java vs Bennington vs Russia 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Russia has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
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 | Bennington | Russia | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
3,220Highest |
2,272 |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
43.9±2.9Lowest 10% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Bennington 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% |
20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Russia and Java 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% |
22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Bennington 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% |
26% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$244,400±$24kHighest 42% below NY |
$232,200±$44k 45% below NY |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
| Bennington and Russia 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 |
$942±$344Highest 42% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Bennington and Russia 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 |
$4,591Highest 30% below NY |
$2,939Lowest 55% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±29 NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Russia 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% |
8% NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
90.7% NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1969Highest 10 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington 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.