Compare towns
Java vs Sheldon vs Tupper Lake
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%).
Tupper Lake has the shortest commute (15 min average).
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 | Tupper Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,216 |
5,104Highest |
| 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±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
47.7±4.7 20% above NY |
| Sheldon and Tupper Lake 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% |
18.8%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Tupper Lake 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% |
25.5%±4.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Tupper Lake 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% |
21.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Java 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 |
$65,433±$11kLowest 24% 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 |
$151,300±$29kLowest 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
$793±$119Lowest 51% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon 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 |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,670 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
24.1%±9.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Tupper Lake 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% |
17.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
71.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
15 minLowest 55% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Tupper Lake 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 | — | — | #459 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | NYS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES · TUPPER LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | TUPPER LAKE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.