Compare towns
Sanford vs Java vs Colesville vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has the most people working from home (10.3%).
Java has the most expensive homes ($224k median).
Colesville has the most kids (29.1% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Sanford | Java | Colesville | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,130 |
2,049Lowest |
4,797Highest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.7±6.6 22% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
37.2±6.3Lowest 7% below NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
29.1%±6.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Colesville and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±3.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±4Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
| Sanford and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.7% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
9.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.3Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.8Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Sanford and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,724±$6k 11% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$61,317±$14kLowest 29% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Java and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $140,900±$21k 67% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$134,800±$18kLowest 68% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $792±$88Lowest 51% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,312±$790Highest 19% below NY |
$818±$84 50% below NY |
| Colesville and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,378 49% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,638Lowest 60% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54%±22.4 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
81.7%±96.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Colesville and Sanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.4% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.3%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.2% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 18% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
22 minLowest 32% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
3%±3 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Sanford and Java 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 | — | — | #442 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | HARPURSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | HARPURSVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.8 |
— |
| 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.