What stands out worked out from the figures below

Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).

Ira has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Java	Ira
People
Population	2,049Highest	2,019Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-2.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY	42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY
	Java and Ira 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%	20.2%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Java and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9%	14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Java and Ira 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%	19%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7%
	Ira 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±$24kLowest 11% above NY	$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY
	Ira 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	$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$419 47% below NY	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,775Highest 43% below NY	$3,594Lowest 45% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1%	14.3%±35.4Highest NY: 52.1%
	Ira and Java 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%	4.6%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	88.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 17% below NY	30 minHighest 7% below NY
Work from home	9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9%	8.9%±5Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Java and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	11.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.