Compare towns
Bennington vs Java vs Durham vs West Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Durham has the most people working from home (13%).
West Monroe has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Bennington | Java | Durham | West Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,220 |
2,049Lowest |
2,641 |
4,060Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.7±5.8 17% above NY |
44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
48.8±5.1Highest 23% above NY |
46.3±4.6 16% 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% |
20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
18.3%±5.2 NY: 20.5% |
16%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Bennington 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% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
24.2%±7Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.8%±3.8Lowest 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% |
24.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
25.9% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3%±2.4Highest NY: 7% |
1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
2.1%±1 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 |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$81,471±$15kLowest 5% below NY |
$90,558±$11k 5% above NY |
| Java and West Monroe 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 |
$223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY |
$185,100±$19kLowest 56% below NY |
| Durham and Bennington 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 |
$863±$419Lowest 47% below NY |
$994±$844 39% below NY |
$1,051±$342Highest 35% below NY |
| West Monroe and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,591Highest 30% below NY |
$3,775 43% below NY |
$3,728Lowest 43% below NY |
$4,333 34% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.4%±29 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
19.3%±40.8 NY: 52.1% |
38.1%±13.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
| West Monroe and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
4.1% NY: 14% |
5.9% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
92% NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 10 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1984Highest 25 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min about the NY average |
27 min 17% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
26 minLowest 22% below NY |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.9 NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±3.1Lowest 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 | — |
| School district | — | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| 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.