Compare towns
Java vs Wales vs Owasco
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 affordable homes ($224k median).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Owasco has the most people working from home (12.8%).
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 | Owasco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
3,015 |
3,511Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
53.4±6.5Highest 34% above NY |
| Owasco and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.1%±4.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Wales and Java 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% |
28.5%±5.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Owasco and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
49.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Owasco 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±$24k 11% above NY |
$88,590±$19kLowest 3% above NY |
$102,245±$10kHighest 19% above NY |
| Owasco and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY |
$244,800±$33k 42% below NY |
$282,100±$51kHighest 33% below NY |
| Owasco and Wales 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 |
$950±$503 41% below NY |
$2,109±$969Highest 30% above NY |
| Owasco and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,782 27% below NY |
$5,171Highest 21% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
13.9%±37.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Wales and Owasco 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%Highest NY: 14% |
4.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
94.2% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
23 minLowest 28% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12.8%±5.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Owasco 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 | — | #321 of 484 in NY | #448 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUBURN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.