Compare towns
Java vs Union vs Binghamton vs Seneca
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 expensive homes ($224k median).
Union has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Binghamton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
Seneca has the most people working from home (10.9%).
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 | Union | Binghamton | Seneca |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
55,078Highest |
47,151 |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4% NY: +4.2% |
+1.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
41.4±1.2 4% above NY |
35.9±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
44.5±6.2Highest 12% above NY |
| Seneca and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
16.9%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 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%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
18%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Seneca and Union 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% |
33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
30.7% NY: 40.2% |
22.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
6.1%±0.9 NY: 7% |
13.3%±2Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$61,713±$2k 28% below NY |
$45,578±$3kLowest 47% below NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
| Java and Seneca 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 |
$149,900±$5k 65% below NY |
$124,800±$7kLowest 71% below NY |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
| Java and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$936±$37 42% below NY |
$870±$38 46% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$4,200Highest 36% below NY |
$3,622 45% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
49.2%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±3.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Binghamton and Union 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% |
16.2% NY: 14% |
32.6%Highest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
58.9% NY: 54.3% |
44%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Highest 3 yrs older than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
18 minLowest 46% below NY |
19 min 42% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±1.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.3%±2 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Seneca and Binghamton 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 | — | #199 of 484 in NY | #426 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | BINGHAMTON HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— |
| 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.