Compare towns
Java vs Benton vs Sheldon vs Russia
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).
Benton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.3%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($176k median).
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 | Benton | Sheldon | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,948Highest |
2,216 |
2,272 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+5.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
40.6±8.4Lowest about the NY average |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
43.9±2.9 10% 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% |
30.1%±5.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
| Benton and Russia 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% |
24.8%±4.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Benton 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% |
27.9% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.1%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$74,767±$13k 13% below NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
| Java and Russia 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 |
$258,600±$51kHighest 39% below NY |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
$232,200±$44k 45% below NY |
| Benton 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 |
$1,541±$628Highest 5% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
| Benton and Russia 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 |
$3,391 48% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$2,939Lowest 55% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
14.5%±10.3 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 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% |
19.4%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
75.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1964Highest 5 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
23 minLowest 30% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
11.8%±5.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5 NY: 14.9% |
| Benton 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.