What stands out worked out from the figures below

Java has the most homeowners (95.2%).

Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Java	Utica
People
Population	2,049Lowest	64,217Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY	35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY
Kids under 18	20.7%±4.7Lowest NY: 20.5%	25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Utica and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9%	15.2%±1Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Java and Utica 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%	22.4%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%	7.4%±0.8Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY	$52,484±$3kLowest 39% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY	$151,300±$6kLowest 64% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY	$951±$24Highest 41% below NY
	Utica 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	$3,246Lowest 51% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1%	52.6%±5Highest NY: 52.1%
	Utica and Java 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%	27.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.2%Highest NY: 54.3%	49.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Highest 3 yrs older than NY	1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 17% below NY	20 minLowest 40% below NY
Work from home	9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9%	7.5%±1.2Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Java and Utica 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	—	#383 of 484 in NY
School district	—	NEW YORK STATE OFFICE MENTAL HEALTH (OMH) · UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	—	THOMAS R PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	16.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.