Compare towns
Sheldon vs Java vs Wales vs Bennington
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 affordable homes ($176k median).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
Bennington has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Wales | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,216 |
2,049Lowest |
3,015 |
3,220Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
| Sheldon and Bennington 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% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.5%±4.9 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+ | 25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Bennington 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% NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
26%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.7 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±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$88,590±$19k 3% above NY |
$89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$244,800±$33kHighest 42% below NY |
$244,400±$24k 42% below NY |
| Wales and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$950±$503Highest 41% below NY |
$942±$344 42% below NY |
| Wales and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$4,782Highest 27% below NY |
$4,591 30% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8 NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±29 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.3% NY: 14% |
8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.8% NY: 54.3% |
90.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
25 minLowest 25% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±4.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Bennington 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 | — | — | #321 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | — |
| 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.