Compare towns
Java vs Utica vs Seneca vs Sheldon
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).
Utica has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Seneca has the most people working from home (10.9%).
Sheldon has the oldest population (median age 48.9).
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 | Utica | Seneca | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
64,217Highest |
2,622 |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
35.2±1Lowest 12% below NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Seneca 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% |
25.4%±1.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest 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%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
15.2%±1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Seneca 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% NY: 40.2% |
22.1% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
7.4%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$52,484±$3kLowest 39% below NY |
$90,658±$21k 5% above NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below 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 |
$151,300±$6kLowest 64% below NY |
$192,700±$9k 55% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% 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±$419 47% below NY |
$951±$24 41% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,246 51% below NY |
$2,810Lowest 57% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52.6%±5Highest NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Utica 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% |
27.5%Highest NY: 14% |
6.2% NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
49.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1940Lowest 19 yrs older than NY |
1945 14 yrs older than NY |
1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
20 minLowest 40% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.5%±1.2 NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Seneca and Java 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 | 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.