What stands out worked out from the figures below

Solvay has the most people working from home (6.9%).

Sheldon has the most homeowners (81.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Solvay	Sheldon
People
Population	6,544Highest	2,216Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-1.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	38.9±2.3Lowest about the NY average	48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY
Kids under 18	22.4%±3.9Highest NY: 20.5%	14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Solvay and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.1%±3.5Lowest NY: 17.9%	25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9%
	Sheldon and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Highest NY: 40.2%	13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.9%±2.5Highest NY: 7%	3.3%±2.8Lowest NY: 7%
	Solvay and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$61,166±$7kLowest 29% below NY	$71,214±$5kHighest 17% below NY
	Sheldon and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$150,000±$13kLowest 65% below NY	$175,900±$14kHighest 58% below NY
	Sheldon and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$946±$77Highest 42% below NY	$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY
	Solvay and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,459Highest 32% below NY	$3,037Lowest 54% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.1%±9.2Lowest NY: 52.1%	50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1%
	Sheldon and Solvay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.9%Lowest NY: 14%	11.8%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	51.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%	81.6%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1947Lowest 12 yrs older than NY	1963Highest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 41% below NY	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	6.9%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9%	2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Solvay and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.