Compare towns
Java vs Durham vs Darien vs Sheldon
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 youngest population (median age 44.2).
Durham has the most people working from home (13%).
Darien has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Durham | Darien | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,641 |
2,988Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-4.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.8±5.1 23% above NY |
50.5±8.8Highest 27% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
| Darien and Sheldon 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% |
18.3%±5.2 NY: 20.5% |
19%±5.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Darien 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% |
24.2%±7 NY: 17.9% |
21.8%±6.2 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Durham 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% |
28.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$81,471±$15k 5% below NY |
$88,423±$15k about the NY average |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Java and Darien 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 |
$245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY |
$211,400±$21k 50% below NY |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
| Durham and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$994±$844Highest 39% below NY |
— | $818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Durham and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$3,728 43% below NY |
$4,910Highest 25% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4 NY: 52.1% |
19.3%±40.8 NY: 52.1% |
0%±48.3Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Durham 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% |
4.1% NY: 14% |
8.7% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
92% NY: 54.3% |
94.7% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1948Lowest 11 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
24 minLowest 25% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.6%±3.8 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Durham 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 | — | #100 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | — | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.