Compare towns
Java vs Hanover vs Seneca vs Russia
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).
Hanover has the most affordable homes ($142k median).
Seneca has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Russia has the most expensive homes ($232k 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 | Hanover | Seneca | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
6,882Highest |
2,622 |
2,272 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.2%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
50.6±5.5Highest 27% above NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
43.9±2.9Lowest 10% above NY |
| Hanover and Seneca 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%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Russia and Java 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% |
26.7%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Hanover and Seneca 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% |
23% NY: 40.2% |
22.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Russia 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 |
$71,563±$9kLowest 17% below NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
| Java and Seneca 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 |
$141,500±$16kLowest 67% below NY |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
$232,200±$44kHighest 45% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$993±$105 39% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,881 56% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
$2,939 55% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
46.5%±22.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Hanover and Russia 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% |
14.2%Highest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1950 9 yrs older than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1959Highest same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
27 minLowest 19% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
11.5%±5.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Hanover and Seneca 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 | — | #196 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | FORESTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SILVER CREEK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | POLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | SILVER CREEK HIGH SCHOOL | — | POLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
— | 10.6Highest |
| 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.