Compare towns
Java vs Sanford vs Bennington 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 highest household income ($95k).
Sanford has the most affordable homes ($141k median).
Bennington has the most expensive homes ($244k 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 | Sanford | Bennington | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,130 |
3,220Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.7±6.6 22% above NY |
46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Sanford 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% |
19.7%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Bennington 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% |
28%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
| Sanford and Sheldon 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% |
17.7% NY: 40.2% |
26%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
4.6%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Sanford 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 |
$76,724±$6k 11% below NY |
$89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Java and Bennington 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 |
$140,900±$21kLowest 67% below NY |
$244,400±$24kHighest 42% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Bennington and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$792±$88Lowest 51% below NY |
$942±$344Highest 42% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
| Bennington 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 |
$3,378 49% below NY |
$4,591Highest 30% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
54%±22.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±29 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Sanford 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% |
16.4%Highest NY: 14% |
8% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
80.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
90.7% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1969Highest 10 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
27 minLowest 18% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.3%±5.1 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington and Sanford 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 | 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.