Compare towns
Java vs Brookfield vs Ira
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).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (11.5%).
Ira has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
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 | Brookfield | Ira |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,150Highest |
2,019Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
42.8±3.1 8% above NY |
| Java and Ira 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% |
21.8%±4.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Brookfield 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% |
19.9%±4Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Java 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% |
16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
19% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
| Ira and Java 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 |
$69,205±$9kLowest 20% below NY |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above 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 |
$152,800±$28kLowest 64% below NY |
$158,800±$16k 63% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$981±$75Highest 39% below NY |
— |
| Brookfield 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 |
$3,197Lowest 51% below NY |
$3,594 45% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±35.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Brookfield and Ira 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% |
16.6%Highest NY: 14% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
84.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
36 minHighest 11% above NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| 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 |
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.