Compare towns
Java vs Wales vs Ellenburg 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 people working from home (9%).
Wales has the most kids (25.2% under 18).
Ellenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Wales | Ellenburg | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
3,015Highest |
1,992Lowest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.1% NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
46.7±4.5 17% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Wales and Ellenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
24.4%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
25.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Java 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 |
$88,590±$19k 3% above NY |
$73,125±$10k 15% below NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Java and Wales 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 |
$244,800±$33kHighest 42% below NY |
$123,000±$16kLowest 71% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Wales 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 |
$950±$503Highest 41% below NY |
$801±$192Lowest 51% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
| Wales 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 |
$4,782Highest 27% below NY |
$2,412Lowest 63% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8 NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7 NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Wales 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% |
4.3% NY: 14% |
12.4%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.8% NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
25 minLowest 25% below NY |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Java and Ellenburg 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 | — | #321 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
— |
| 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.