Compare towns
Java vs Ira vs Murray 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 most expensive homes ($224k median).
Ira has the highest household income ($97k).
Murray has the most people working from home (12.8%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Murray | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,019Lowest |
4,754Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-3.8% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
42.8±3.1 8% above NY |
40.3±2.8Lowest about the NY average |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Java 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%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±4.2 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Murray 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% |
17.9%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest 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% |
19% NY: 40.2% |
16.9% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Ira and Sheldon 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 |
$65,077±$5kLowest 24% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below 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±$16k 63% below NY |
$123,800±$14kLowest 71% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
— | $826±$63 49% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Java and Murray 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 |
$3,907Highest 41% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
38.9%±15.7 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Murray 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% NY: 14% |
10% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
80.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
26 minLowest 20% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
12.8%±6.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Murray 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 | — | — | #430 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HOLLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | HOLLEY JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Highest |
9.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.