What stands out worked out from the figures below

Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).

Caroline has the most people working from home (22.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Java	Caroline
People
Population	2,049Lowest	3,280Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+1.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY	40.5±3.5Lowest about the NY average
	Java and Caroline 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%±5.3Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Java and Caroline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9%	18.5%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Java and Caroline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	59.1%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	3.8%±2.1Highest NY: 7%
	Caroline 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±$24kHighest 11% above NY	$80,855±$21kLowest 6% below NY
	Java and Caroline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY	$234,200±$40kHighest 45% below NY
	Caroline and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY	$1,398±$416Highest 14% below NY
	Caroline and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,775Lowest 43% below NY	$5,703Highest 13% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1%	43.3%±15.4Highest NY: 52.1%
	Caroline and Java 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%	14.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	65.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1970Highest 11 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 17% below NY	21 minLowest 35% below NY
Work from home	9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	22.1%±9.3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Caroline 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	—	#345 of 484 in NY
School district	—	NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES (OCFS) · ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	MACCORMICK SECURE CENTER
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.