Compare towns
Java vs Sheldon vs Virgil
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 homeowners (95.2%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($176k median).
Virgil has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1%).
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 | Virgil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,216 |
2,525Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
+1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
44.8±2.5 13% above NY |
| Sheldon and Virgil 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% |
20.5%±4 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Virgil 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% |
17%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Java 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% |
35.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
4.3%±3.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Virgil 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±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$91,094±$21k 6% above NY |
| Java and Virgil 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±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
$244,600±$32kHighest 42% below NY |
| Virgil 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 |
$1,208±$159Highest 25% below NY |
| Virgil 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 |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$4,188Highest 36% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
8.9%±19.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
7.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.3%±3.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Virgil and Java 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 |
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.