Compare towns
Java vs Cato vs Chenango
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).
Cato has the oldest population (median age 48.7).
Chenango has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.6%).
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 | Cato | Chenango |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,542 |
10,787Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.7±4Highest 22% above NY |
41±2.8Lowest 3% above NY |
| Cato 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% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.7%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Chenango 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%±3.1 NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Chenango and Cato 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% |
21.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
35.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.5%±1.6 NY: 7% |
4.8%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Chenango and Cato 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 |
$79,760±$11kLowest 7% below NY |
$86,646±$9k about the NY average |
| Java and Chenango 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 |
$167,600±$6kLowest 60% below NY |
$172,000±$9k 59% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$942±$425 42% below NY |
$1,038±$97Highest 36% below NY |
| Chenango and Cato 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 |
$3,005Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,700 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
7.1%±23.7 NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±8.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
87.1% NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1964 5 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
23 minLowest 30% below NY |
24 min 27% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.2%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango and Cato 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 | — | — | #233 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | CHENANGO FORKS 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.