Compare towns
Java vs Ira 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 most homeowners (95.2%).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Seneca has the most people working from home (10.9%).
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 | Seneca | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,019Lowest |
2,622Highest |
2,272 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-2.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY |
44.5±6.2Highest 12% above NY |
43.9±2.9 10% above NY |
| Seneca and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9Lowest 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% |
22.3%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Seneca and Russia 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% |
22.1% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
| Ira and Russia 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 |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
$86,116±$17kLowest 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 |
$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 |
— | $1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
| Seneca and Russia 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 |
$3,594 45% 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% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Russia and Ira 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% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
9.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
27 minLowest 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Seneca 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.