What stands out worked out from the figures below

Java has the highest household income ($95k).

Nelson has the most people working from home (13.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Java	Nelson
People
Population	2,049Highest	1,765Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Highest NY: +4.2%	-4.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY	47.2±6.2Highest 19% above NY
	Nelson 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%	20.1%±8Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Java and Nelson 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%	19.7%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9%
	Nelson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2%	46.8%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	6.2%±3.4Highest NY: 7%
	Nelson and Java 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	$82,063±$18kLowest 5% below NY
	Java and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY	$230,000±$18kHighest 46% below NY
	Nelson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$419Highest 47% below NY	$773±$328Lowest 52% below NY
	Java and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,775Lowest 43% below NY	$3,990Highest 39% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1%	22.2%±40.6Highest NY: 52.1%
	Nelson and Java 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%	7.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	86.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1957Highest 2 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 17% below NY	29 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	13.8%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9%
	Nelson and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.