What stands out worked out from the figures below

Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).

Dickinson has the most people working from home (14.4%).

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	Dickinson
People
Population	2,049Lowest	5,001Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY	42.7±3.3Lowest 7% above NY
	Java and Dickinson 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%	17.6%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Java and Dickinson 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%	21.1%±4Highest NY: 17.9%
	Dickinson 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%	32%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	6.2%±1.2Highest NY: 7%
	Dickinson 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	$77,864±$14kLowest 9% below NY
	Java and Dickinson 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	$147,400±$17kLowest 65% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY	$941±$68Highest 42% below NY
	Dickinson 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	$3,523Lowest 46% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1%	35.8%±13.8Highest NY: 52.1%
	Dickinson 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%	8.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	75.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 3 yrs older than NY	1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 17% below NY	17 minLowest 48% below NY
Work from home	9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	14.4%±5.9Highest NY: 14.9%
	Dickinson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	None in town
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.