Compare towns
Java vs Ira vs Sheldon vs Barrington
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).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Barrington has the most kids (27.3% under 18).
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 | Sheldon | Barrington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,019 |
2,216Highest |
1,794Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-8.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
42.8±3.1Lowest 8% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
44.8±3.4 13% above NY |
| Sheldon and Barrington 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% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
27.3%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Barrington 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% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Barrington 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% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
0.9%±1.3Lowest 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 |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$90,938±$16k 6% 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±$30k 47% below NY |
$158,800±$16kLowest 63% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$255,800±$32kHighest 40% below NY |
| Barrington and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
— | $818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$1,574±$667Highest about the NY average |
| Barrington and Java 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 |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,463 47% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
10.3%±84.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon 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% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
5.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
93.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
30 min 7% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.7%±3.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Barrington 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 | — | — |
| 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 | 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.