Compare towns
Java vs Lysander vs Sheldon vs Arcade
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%).
Lysander has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Sheldon has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
Arcade has the most renters (26.4% rent).
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 | Lysander | Sheldon | Arcade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
23,086Highest |
2,216 |
4,210 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.6±1.9Lowest 10% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
46±3.7 16% above NY |
| Sheldon and Arcade 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% |
24.4%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.3%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Lysander 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% |
17.6%±1.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Arcade 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% |
47.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±0.9 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
5.6%±3.1Highest NY: 7% |
| Arcade and Lysander 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 |
$107,984±$5kHighest 26% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$62,011±$8kLowest 28% below NY |
| Lysander 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 |
$288,400±$18kHighest 32% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$163,900±$15kLowest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,130±$100Highest 30% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$813±$152Lowest 50% below NY |
| Lysander and Java 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 |
$6,748Highest about the NY average |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$4,172 37% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54.5%±10.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
40.4%±13.5 NY: 52.1% |
| Lysander and Sheldon 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% |
5.8% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
11.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.5% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
73.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
24 minLowest 26% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
29 min 10% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
16.6%±3.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.1%±3 NY: 14.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #158 of 484 in NY | — | #260 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | YORKSHIRE-PIONEER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | CHARLES W BAKER HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.4 |
— | — |
| 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.