Compare towns
Sheldon vs Starkey vs Java 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 oldest population (median age 48.9).
Starkey has the most people working from home (14.9%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Starkey | Java | Ellenburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,216 |
3,381Highest |
2,049 |
1,992Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
+5.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
41.3±2.5Lowest 4% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% 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% |
22.6%±4.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
20.8%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
| Starkey and Ellenburg 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% |
12.7%±3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 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% |
16.4% NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
1.8%±0.9 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 |
$55,064±$7kLowest 36% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$73,125±$10k 15% 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 |
$145,700±$17k 66% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$123,000±$16kLowest 71% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $818±$84 50% below NY |
$744±$96Lowest 54% below NY |
$863±$419Highest 47% below NY |
$801±$192 51% 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 |
$3,412 48% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,412Lowest 63% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
45%±14.6 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.2%±15.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Starkey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% NY: 14% |
19.7%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6% NY: 54.3% |
73.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
83.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1966 7 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min about the NY average |
26 minLowest 20% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
34 minHighest 4% above NY |
| Work from home | 2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
14.9%±8.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Starkey 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 | — | #358 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | DUNDEE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | DUNDEE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | NORTHERN ADIRONDACK MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.8Highest |
— | 8.5Lowest |
| 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.