Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Sheldon vs Seneca
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (17.9%).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
Seneca has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Pittsfield | Sheldon | Seneca |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,233Lowest |
2,216 |
2,622Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.9±8.5Lowest about the NY average |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
44.5±6.2 12% above NY |
| Sheldon and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.8%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.5%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Pittsfield and Seneca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
22.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $66,917±$7kLowest 22% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$90,658±$21kHighest 5% above NY |
| Seneca and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $125,700±$32kLowest 70% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$192,700±$9kHighest 55% below NY |
| Seneca and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $922±$284 43% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$1,549±$420Highest 4% below NY |
| Seneca and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,006Lowest 70% below NY |
$3,037Highest 54% below NY |
$2,810 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±36.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
7.2%±24.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Pittsfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 23%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
6.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.8% NY: 54.3% |
81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 22 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1945Lowest 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 25% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
| Work from home | 17.9%±10.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.9%±3.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Pittsfield and Seneca 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 | 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.