What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pike has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pike	Sheldon
People
Population	812Lowest	2,216Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	48.3±4.4Lowest 21% above NY	48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY
	Sheldon and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±4.2Highest NY: 20.5%	14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Pike and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±6Highest NY: 17.9%	25%±3.2Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Pike and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	15.1%Highest NY: 40.2%	13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±2.3Lowest NY: 7%	3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7%
	Sheldon and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$71,250±$11kHighest 17% below NY	$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY
	Pike and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$129,100±$18kLowest 70% below NY	$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$762Lowest 50% below NY	$818±$84Highest 50% below NY
	Sheldon and Pike are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,947Lowest 55% below NY	$3,037Highest 54% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	83.7%±13.7Highest NY: 52.1%	50.9%±21.3Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Pike and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9%Lowest NY: 14%	11.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%	81.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Highest 6 yrs newer than NY	1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 33% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	2.5%±1.7Highest NY: 14.9%	2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Pike and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.