Compare towns
Java vs Gaines vs Brasher 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 highest household income ($95k).
Gaines has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Brasher has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.6%).
Sheldon has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Gaines | Brasher | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
3,216Highest |
2,592 |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-4.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
45.5±4.4 14% above NY |
46.6±9 17% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Brasher 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% |
14.8%±5.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.4%±6.2 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Brasher 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% |
24.9%±6.5 NY: 17.9% |
23.5%±5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Gaines 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% |
14.4% NY: 40.2% |
10.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
8.2%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Gaines and Brasher 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 |
$56,582±$8k 34% below NY |
$53,911±$14kLowest 37% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon 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 |
$125,800±$19k 70% below NY |
$124,300±$24kLowest 71% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$922±$72Highest 43% below NY |
$730±$195Lowest 55% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
| Gaines 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 |
$3,157 52% below NY |
$2,500Lowest 62% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
18.4%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
74.3%±27.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Brasher and Sheldon 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% |
10.6% NY: 14% |
22.4%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
74.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.4% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
28 min 13% below NY |
20 minLowest 37% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±6.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
1.9%±1.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Gaines 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 | — | — | #300 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | BRASHER FALLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| 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.