Compare towns
Sheldon vs Java vs Ellenburg vs Castile
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheldon has the most renters (18.4% rent).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Ellenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Castile has the most people working from home (9.7%).
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 | Sheldon | Java | Ellenburg | Castile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,216 |
2,049 |
1,992Lowest |
2,710Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
46.7±4.5 17% above NY |
49.9±4.8Highest 25% above NY |
| Castile and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.8%±4.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Ellenburg and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.4%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
26.5%±4.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Castile and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7% NY: 40.2% |
18.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$73,125±$10k 15% below NY |
$65,625±$13kLowest 24% below NY |
| Java and Ellenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$123,000±$16kLowest 71% below NY |
$151,600±$15k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $818±$84 50% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$801±$192 51% below NY |
$654±$105Lowest 60% below NY |
| Java and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,037 54% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,412Lowest 63% below NY |
$3,019 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7 NY: 52.1% |
31.5%±15.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Castile are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
15.9%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
84.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
1957 2 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±5.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Castile and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
— |
| 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.