Compare towns
Java vs Cato vs Seneca
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 shortest commute (23 min average).
Seneca has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.8%).
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 | Seneca |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,542 |
2,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-2.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.7±4Highest 22% above NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
| Cato and Seneca 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% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Seneca 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Seneca 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.5%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cato 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 |
$79,760±$11kLowest 7% below NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
| Java and Seneca 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 |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
| Java and Seneca 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 |
$942±$425 42% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
| Seneca 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 |
$3,005 54% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
7.1%±23.7 NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Seneca and Cato 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% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
87.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
23 minLowest 30% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.2%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Cato and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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.