Compare towns
Java vs Mentz 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 people working from home (9%).
Mentz has the most affordable homes ($116k median).
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 | Mentz | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049 |
1,753Lowest |
2,216Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-11.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.1±5.3Lowest 8% above NY |
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% |
20.7%±3.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23.6%±3.4 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Mentz 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% |
9.3%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.7%±3.4Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Mentz 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±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$52,602±$5kLowest 39% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon 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 |
$115,500±$31kLowest 73% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,045±$130Highest 36% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Mentz 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 |
$2,901Lowest 56% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.3%±24.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Mentz 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% |
20%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
74.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
29 min 13% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
3.8%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Mentz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | PORT BYRON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | PORT BYRON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.