Compare towns
Bennington vs Durham vs Java vs Wales
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most people working from home (13%).
Java has the most affordable homes ($224k median).
Wales has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.1%).
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 | Bennington | Durham | Java | Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,220Highest |
2,641 |
2,049Lowest |
3,015 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
48.8±5.1Highest 23% above NY |
44.2±5.5 11% above NY |
43.9±6.6Lowest 10% above NY |
| Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.5%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
18.3%±5.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 NY: 20.5% |
25.2%±5.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Wales and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
24.2%±7Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.1%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Durham and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% NY: 40.2% |
28.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
25.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.2 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
0.8%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,050±$10k 4% above NY |
$81,471±$15kLowest 5% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$88,590±$19k 3% above NY |
| Java and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $244,400±$24k 42% below NY |
$245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY |
$223,900±$30kLowest 47% below NY |
$244,800±$33k 42% below NY |
| Durham and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$344 42% below NY |
$994±$844Highest 39% below NY |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$950±$503 41% below NY |
| Durham and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,591 30% below NY |
$3,728Lowest 43% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$4,782Highest 27% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.4%±29Highest NY: 52.1% |
19.3%±40.8 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
20.5%±27.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Bennington and Wales are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NY: 14% |
4.1% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NY: 54.3% |
92% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1971 12 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min about the NY average |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
25 minLowest 25% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.9 NY: 14.9% |
13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.2%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Durham and Bennington 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 | — | #100 of 484 in NY | — | #321 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | IROQUOIS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.9 |
— | — |
| 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.