Compare towns
Java vs Freedom vs Afton vs Arcade
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 people working from home (9%).
Freedom has the youngest population (median age 43.2).
Afton has the most affordable homes ($126k median).
Arcade has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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.
| Measure | Java | Freedom | Afton | Arcade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,483 |
2,733 |
4,210Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.2±7Lowest 9% above NY |
47.6±6.3Highest 20% above NY |
46±3.7 16% above NY |
| Afton and Arcade 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% |
18.6%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
16.3%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Afton 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% |
16.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22%±4.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
| Afton and Arcade 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% |
15.5% NY: 40.2% |
11.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.8 NY: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
5.6%±3.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Freedom 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 |
$73,646±$24k 14% below NY |
$51,736±$13kLowest 40% below NY |
$62,011±$8k 28% below NY |
| Java and Freedom 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 |
$176,900±$19k 58% below NY |
$125,700±$23kLowest 70% below NY |
$163,900±$15k 61% below NY |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY |
$826±$212 49% below NY |
$813±$152 50% below NY |
| Java and Afton 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 |
$3,443 48% below NY |
$3,395Lowest 48% below NY |
$4,172Highest 37% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
10.1%±32.5 NY: 52.1% |
66%±45.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
40.4%±13.5 NY: 52.1% |
| Afton and Arcade 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% |
7% NY: 14% |
12.1%Highest NY: 14% |
11.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
71.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
73.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
28 min 15% below NY |
23 minLowest 29% below NY |
29 minHighest 10% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.9%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.1%±3 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Freedom 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 | — | — | #418 of 484 in NY | #260 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | AFTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | YORKSHIRE-PIONEER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | AFTON JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 6.7 |
— |
| 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.