Compare towns
Sheldon vs Orange vs Ellenburg
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 expensive homes ($176k median).
Orange has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Ellenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Orange | Ellenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,216Highest |
1,196Lowest |
1,992 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
46.6±6.3Lowest 17% above NY |
46.7±4.5 17% above NY |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
18%±4 NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Ellenburg and Orange 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% |
22.9%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.4%±3.8 NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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% |
16.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Ellenburg 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 |
$60,000±$9kLowest 30% below NY |
$73,125±$10kHighest 15% below NY |
| Ellenburg and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY |
$119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY |
$123,000±$16k 71% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $818±$84 50% below NY |
$932±$81Highest 43% below NY |
$801±$192Lowest 51% below NY |
| Orange and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,037Highest 54% below NY |
$2,667 59% below NY |
$2,412Lowest 63% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Orange and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.7%Highest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min about the NY average |
30 minLowest 8% below NY |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
| Work from home | 2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Orange and Ellenburg 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 |
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.

