Compare towns
Java vs Ira vs Hamlin 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 most homeowners (95.2%).
Ira has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.9%).
Hamlin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
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 | Ira | Hamlin | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,019Lowest |
8,652Highest |
2,272 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.5% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
42.8±3.1 8% above NY |
41.9±3.7Lowest 5% above NY |
43.9±2.9 10% above NY |
| Java and Russia 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% |
20.2%±3.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.5Lowest 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%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.9%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Russia and Hamlin 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% |
19%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
27.3% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
3.9%±1.3 NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
| Ira and Hamlin 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 |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$83,510±$9kLowest about the NY average |
$86,116±$17k about the NY average |
| 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±$30k 47% below NY |
$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY |
$166,200±$9k 61% 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 |
— | $1,062±$137Highest 34% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
| Hamlin and Russia 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 |
$3,594 45% below NY |
$4,343Highest 34% below NY |
$2,939Lowest 55% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
59.6%±13.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
11.5%Highest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89.3% NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
28 min 15% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
12.2%±4.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Hamlin and Java 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 | — | POLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | POLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.