Compare towns
Java vs Van Buren vs Clay vs Sardinia
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).
Van Buren has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Clay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Sardinia has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Van Buren | Clay | Sardinia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
14,237 |
59,995Highest |
2,703 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+4% NY: +4.2% |
-2.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
42.1±3.7 6% above NY |
39.8±1Lowest about the NY average |
42.5±7.5 7% above NY |
| Java and Sardinia 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% |
19.4%±3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.1%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
22.4%±6.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Sardinia 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% |
21.4%±2.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±4.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Van Buren and Sardinia 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% |
39.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
38.2% NY: 40.2% |
21.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.1%±1 NY: 7% |
4.4%±0.7 NY: 7% |
5%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
| Sardinia and Clay 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 |
$73,779±$8kLowest 14% below NY |
$90,707±$6k 6% above NY |
$84,583±$34k about the NY average |
| Java and Clay 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 |
$169,600±$5kLowest 60% below NY |
$205,900±$6k 51% below NY |
$218,900±$19k 48% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia 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 |
$1,269±$87Highest 22% below NY |
$1,240±$40 24% below NY |
$855±$83Lowest 47% below NY |
| Van Buren and Clay 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 |
$4,171 37% below NY |
$5,087Highest 23% below NY |
$2,233Lowest 66% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.8%±10.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±5.6 NY: 52.1% |
4.5%±28.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Van Buren and Clay 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% |
8.5% NY: 14% |
8.4% NY: 14% |
12.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
61.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
71.2% NY: 54.3% |
90.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1961 2 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
25 min 23% below NY |
21 minLowest 34% below NY |
30 minHighest 10% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.3%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±1.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±6.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Van Buren and Clay 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 | — | #386 of 484 in NY | #249 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | LIVERPOOL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · NORTH SYRACUSE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | LIVERPOOL HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.0 |
— |
| 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.