Compare towns
Java vs Seneca vs Colden 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 kids (20.7% under 18).
Seneca has the oldest housing (typical home built 1945).
Colden has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Seneca | Colden | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,622 |
3,145Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
-4.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
49.3±10.4Highest 24% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
| Colden and Sheldon 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% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±5.2 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Seneca 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% |
22.3%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.6 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Colden 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% |
22.1% NY: 40.2% |
41%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.2%±3.3Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Colden 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±$24k 11% above NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
$97,935±$15kHighest 14% above NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Colden 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 |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
$302,600±$42kHighest 29% below NY |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$943±$142 42% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
$4,752Highest 28% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
61.5%±28Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Colden 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% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
10% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.8% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older 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 min 17% below NY |
26 minLowest 19% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
15%±7.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Colden and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #346 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | SPRINGVILLE-GRIFFITH INSTITUTE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| 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.