Compare towns
Java vs Sheldon vs Fine
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).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Fine has the most people working from home (13.7%).
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 | Sheldon | Fine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,216Highest |
1,284Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-13.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
56.3±4.1Highest 41% above NY |
| Fine 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% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
17.1%±4.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Fine 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% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
30.8%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Fine 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
6.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Fine 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 |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$59,861±$9kLowest 30% 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 |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$86,600±$17kLowest 80% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$1,043±$106Highest 36% below NY |
| Fine 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 |
$3,037 54% below NY |
$1,828Lowest 72% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
51.2%±56.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Fine 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% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
20.2%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
23 minLowest 30% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.7%±9.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Fine and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | CLIFTON-FINE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | CLIFTON-FINE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 5.4 |
| 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.