Compare towns
Whitehall vs Sheldon vs Gowanda
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitehall has the most renters (38.1% rent).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
Gowanda has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Whitehall | Sheldon | Gowanda |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,690Highest |
2,267Lowest |
2,683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.8±4.8Lowest 5% below U.S. |
40.9±3.5Highest 5% above U.S. |
37.6±6.2 3% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
30.2%±9.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gowanda and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gowanda and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whitehall and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $47,683±$8kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$51,828±$2k 36% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $102,000±$9k 69% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$96,400±$13kLowest 71% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$96 31% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$753±$51Lowest 47% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Whitehall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,178 about the U.S. average |
$3,578Highest 15% above U.S. |
$2,663Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.6%±18.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±14.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitehall and Gowanda are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 29.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 0.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.