Compare towns
Middlesex vs Java vs Wales vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (18.2%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Gorham has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Middlesex | Java | Wales | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,407Lowest |
2,049 |
3,015 |
4,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.3% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 55.3±6Highest 39% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
48.7±8.8 22% above NY |
| Middlesex and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±4.4 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+ | 24.6%±3.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
27.1%±4.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Gorham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6% NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
27.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.3 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.9Highest NY: 7% |
| Gorham and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,750±$21k 12% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$88,590±$19k 3% above NY |
$64,874±$8kLowest 25% 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 | $208,100±$62kLowest 51% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$244,800±$33k 42% below NY |
$263,300±$27kHighest 38% below NY |
| Gorham and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$672Highest 13% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$950±$503 41% below NY |
$1,165±$208 28% below NY |
| Middlesex and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,459Lowest 47% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$4,782Highest 27% below NY |
$3,497 47% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.1%±39 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8 NY: 52.1% |
70.6%±21.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Gorham and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.3% NY: 14% |
9.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.8% NY: 54.3% |
79.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
1959 same as NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 22% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 18.2%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
12.8%±5.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Middlesex and Gorham 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 | #246 of 484 in NY |
| School district | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | GORHAM-MIDDLESEX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT (MARCUS WHITMAN) |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | MARCUS WHITMAN HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.2 |
| 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.