Compare towns
Java vs Waterville vs Ira 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 most homeowners (95.2%).
Waterville has the most people working from home (14.8%).
Ira has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Sardinia has grown the fastest since 2010 (-2.1%).
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 | Waterville | Ira | Sardinia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
1,731Lowest |
2,019 |
2,703Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-6.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-2.9% NY: +4.2% |
-2.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
44.9±4.5Highest 13% above NY |
42.8±3.1 8% above NY |
42.5±7.5Lowest 7% above NY |
| Waterville 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% |
18.8%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.2%±3.2 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% |
21.5%±1.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
14.4%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.8%±4.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Waterville 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% |
24.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
19%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
21.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2.3 NY: 7% |
5%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
| Sardinia and Ira 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 |
$82,273±$13kLowest 4% below NY |
$97,019±$11kHighest 13% above NY |
$84,583±$34k about the NY average |
| Ira 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±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$170,100±$12k 60% below NY |
$158,800±$16kLowest 63% 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±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$820±$132Lowest 49% below NY |
— | $855±$83 47% below NY |
| Java and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$3,425 48% below NY |
$3,594 45% below NY |
$2,233Lowest 66% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
24%±10.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
14.3%±35.4 NY: 52.1% |
4.5%±28.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Waterville and Ira 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% |
8.1% NY: 14% |
4.6% NY: 14% |
12.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
54.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
90.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 3 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1961 2 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
22 minLowest 34% below NY |
30 minHighest 7% below NY |
30 min 10% below NY |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
14.8%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.9%±5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.2%±6.1 NY: 14.9% |
| Waterville and Sardinia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | CATO-MERIDIAN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | CATO-MERIDIAN JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.