Compare towns
Java vs Freedom vs Sheldon vs Wethersfield
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).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Wethersfield has the most affordable homes ($131k 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 | Freedom | Sheldon | Wethersfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,483Highest |
2,216 |
815Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-14.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.2±7Lowest 9% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
46±4.4 16% above NY |
| Sheldon and Wethersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
18.6%±4.3 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.6%±4.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Wethersfield and Java 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%±2.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
13.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
15.5% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
20.3% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.8 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
4.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Wethersfield 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±$24k 11% above NY |
$73,646±$24k 14% below NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$96,094±$14kHighest 12% above NY |
| Wethersfield 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±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$176,900±$19k 58% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$131,300±$20kLowest 69% 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±$419 47% below NY |
$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$916±$126Highest 43% below NY |
| Wethersfield 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 |
$3,443 48% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$2,787Lowest 58% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
10.1%±32.5 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
30.2%±38.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Wethersfield 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% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
80.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
28 min 15% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
28 min 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.9%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.8%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Freedom 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 | 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.