Compare towns
Java vs Waterford vs Central Square
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 homeowners (95.2%).
Waterford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.4%).
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 | Waterford | Central Square |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,049Lowest |
2,085 |
2,163Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+0.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
42.4±5.7Lowest 7% above NY |
43.3±8 9% above NY |
| Java and Central Square are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.8%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Central Square 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% |
25.7%±5.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.8%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Waterford and Java 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% |
22.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±2.9 NY: 7% |
4.5%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
| Central Square and Waterford 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 |
$72,938±$12k 15% below NY |
$69,500±$23kLowest 19% below NY |
| Java and Waterford 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 |
$157,500±$30kLowest 63% below NY |
$196,000±$20k 54% below NY |
| Java and Central Square 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 |
$1,082±$91Highest 33% below NY |
$908±$91 44% below NY |
| Waterford and Central Square 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 |
$3,534Lowest 46% below NY |
$5,756Highest 13% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
26.5%±11.3 NY: 52.1% |
44%±13.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Central Square and Waterford 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% |
10.6% NY: 14% |
15.1%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
53.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
54.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 17% below NY |
23 minLowest 29% below NY |
26 min 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14%±8.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
13.3%±6.7 NY: 14.9% |
| Waterford and Central Square 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 | — | #286 of 484 in NY | — |
| 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.