Compare towns
Java vs Knox vs Auburn 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 kids (20.7% under 18).
Knox has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Auburn has the most renters (51.4% rent).
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 | Knox | Auburn | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,559 |
26,285Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
49.8±6.7Highest 25% above NY |
41.1±1.1Lowest 3% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
| Knox and Sheldon 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% |
17.2%±3.7 NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
21.6%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Auburn 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% |
36.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
5.2%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
2.7%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Knox 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 |
$124,083±$14kHighest 44% above NY |
$51,052±$5kLowest 41% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Knox 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 |
$299,800±$37kHighest 29% below NY |
$152,800±$9kLowest 64% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,125±$44Highest 31% below NY |
$897±$50 45% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$4,451Highest 32% below NY |
$3,998 39% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.8%±34 NY: 52.1% |
55%±7.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Auburn and Knox 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% |
6.3% NY: 14% |
19.5%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.8% NY: 54.3% |
48.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1947Lowest 12 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
20 minLowest 40% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
17.5%±8.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.7%±1.8 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Knox 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 | — | — | #374 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.8 |
— |
| 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.