Compare towns
Java vs Russia vs Seward
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-4.1%).
Russia has the most expensive homes ($232k median).
Seward has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Russia | Seward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,272Highest |
2,055 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-10.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
43.9±2.9 10% above NY |
39.5±8Lowest about the NY average |
| Java and Russia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
27.2%±3Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Seward and Russia 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% |
20.8%±3.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.9%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Russia 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% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
27.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
5.1%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
| Seward and Russia 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 |
$86,116±$17kLowest about the NY average |
$86,786±$20k about the NY average |
| Java and Seward 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 |
$232,200±$44kHighest 45% below NY |
$198,500±$25kLowest 53% below NY |
| Russia and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$888±$325 45% below NY |
$1,180±$201Highest 27% below NY |
| Seward and Russia 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 |
$2,939Lowest 55% below NY |
$3,855Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
28.3%±45.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Russia and Seward 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% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
16.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
87.5%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1959 same as NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
37 minHighest 14% above NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±4.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Seward and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | POLAND CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | POLAND JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| 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.