Compare towns
Amherst vs Cairo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amherst has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.9%).
Cairo has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
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 | Amherst | Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 130,546Highest |
6,700Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39.1±0.8Lowest about the NY average |
44.2±4.2Highest 11% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±1Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Amherst and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±0.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Cairo and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
28.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±0.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $93,483±$2kHighest 9% above NY |
$79,643±$22kLowest 7% below NY |
| Amherst and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $311,600±$7kHighest 26% below NY |
$263,400±$18kLowest 38% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$45Highest 14% below NY |
$1,015±$305Lowest 37% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,935Highest 10% below NY |
$4,246Lowest 35% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.1%±4.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Amherst and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.5%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 39% below NY |
29 minHighest 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.9%±1.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Amherst and Cairo 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 | #72 of 484 in NY | #461 of 484 in NY |
| School district | AMHERST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SWEET HOME CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | WILLIAMSVILLE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
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| 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.