Compare towns
Java vs Clay vs Onondaga
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 homeowners (95.2%).
Clay has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Onondaga has the most expensive homes ($246k 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 | Clay | Onondaga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
59,995Highest |
22,573 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
39.8±1Lowest about the NY average |
45.4±2.7Highest 14% above NY |
| Onondaga and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Clay 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% |
18.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±2.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Onondaga 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%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
38.2% NY: 40.2% |
46.2%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.4%±0.7 NY: 7% |
8.1%±1.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24k 11% above NY |
$90,707±$6kLowest 6% above NY |
$104,448±$5kHighest 21% above NY |
| Onondaga 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±$30k 47% below NY |
$205,900±$6kLowest 51% below NY |
$246,200±$15kHighest 42% below NY |
| Onondaga 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 |
$1,240±$40 24% below NY |
$1,333±$128Highest 18% below NY |
| Onondaga and Clay 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 |
$5,087 23% below NY |
$5,480Highest 17% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
51.1%±11.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Onondaga and Clay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% NY: 14% |
8.4%Highest NY: 14% |
3.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
82.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1974 15 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
21 min 34% below NY |
21 minLowest 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±2.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Clay and Onondaga 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 | — | #249 of 484 in NY | #122 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | WESTHILL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · ONONDAGA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL | WESTHILL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| 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.