Compare towns

Cairo vs Wallkill vs Wappinger

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cairo has the most affordable homes ($263k median).
Wallkill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Wappinger has the most people working from home (13.2%).

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.

MeasureCairoWallkillWappinger
People
Population
6,700Lowest
31,023Highest
28,252
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-0.4%Lowest
NY: +4.2%
+11.2%Highest
NY: +4.2%
+4.3%
NY: +4.2%
Median age
44.2±4.2Highest
11% above NY
41.2±2.2Lowest
4% above NY
43.9±1.8
10% above NY
Cairo and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
17.9%±3.5Lowest
NY: 20.5%
20.7%±2.3Highest
NY: 20.5%
18.3%±1.8
NY: 20.5%
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
22.9%±4.2Highest
NY: 17.9%
15.7%±1.6Lowest
NY: 17.9%
20.2%±2.1
NY: 17.9%
Cairo and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
28.9%
NY: 40.2%
28%Lowest
NY: 40.2%
36%Highest
NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.7%±1.5Lowest
NY: 7%
7.8%±1.5Highest
NY: 7%
6.1%±1.1
NY: 7%
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$79,643±$22kLowest
7% below NY
$96,076±$4kHighest
12% above NY
$95,234±$10k
11% above NY
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$263,400±$18kLowest
38% below NY
$353,200±$13k
17% below NY
$394,800±$11kHighest
7% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,015±$305Lowest
37% below NY
$1,790±$80Highest
10% above NY
$1,708±$94
5% above NY
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,246Lowest
35% below NY
$6,623Highest
about the NY average
$6,236
5% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
45.1%±16.2Lowest
NY: 52.1%
52.8%±8.1Highest
NY: 52.1%
45.7%±7.7
NY: 52.1%
Wallkill and Wappinger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
10.5%
NY: 14%
11%Highest
NY: 14%
5.4%Lowest
NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
75.2%Highest
NY: 54.3%
64.1%
NY: 54.3%
63.3%Lowest
NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1973
14 yrs newer than NY
1978Highest
19 yrs newer than NY
1971Lowest
12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
29 min
13% below NY
31 minHighest
5% below NY
28 minLowest
13% below NY
Work from home
11.1%±6.2
NY: 14.9%
10.5%±2.9Lowest
NY: 14.9%
13.2%±2.5Highest
NY: 14.9%
Wappinger 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 #461 of 484 in NY #476 of 484 in NY #93 of 484 in NY
School district CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MIDDLETOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · PINE BUSH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT WAPPINGERS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town None in town None in town ROY C KETCHAM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school — —
13.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History 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.