Compare towns
Java vs Sheldon vs Great Bend vs Russia
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 people working from home (9%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Great Bend has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Russia has the most expensive homes ($232k median).
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 | Great Bend | Russia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
2,216 |
938Lowest |
2,272Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.3% NY: +4.2% |
-12.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
40.5±16.4Lowest about the NY average |
43.9±2.9 10% above NY |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±9 NY: 20.5% |
21.3%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Russia and Great Bend 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% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
2.8%±4.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±3.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Russia 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% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
17.3% NY: 40.2% |
28.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.1Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
— | $86,116±$17k about the NY average |
| Java and Russia 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 |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$172,600±$123kLowest 59% below NY |
$232,200±$44kHighest 45% 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±$419 47% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
— | $888±$325Highest 45% below NY |
| Russia 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 |
$2,728Lowest 59% below NY |
$2,939 55% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
88.4%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
31.1%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Great Bend 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% |
31.3%Highest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
56.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6 NY: 14.9% |
0%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±3.5 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Russia 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 | 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.