Compare towns
Durham vs Altona vs Sheldon
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%).
Altona has the youngest population (median age 40).
Sheldon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.7%).
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 | Durham | Altona | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,641Highest |
2,490 |
2,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-7.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.8±5.1 23% above NY |
40±5Lowest about the NY average |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Sheldon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.2 NY: 20.5% |
19.1%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Altona and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.2%±7 NY: 17.9% |
18.6%±5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Sheldon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
6.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
13.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2 NY: 7% |
0.2%±0.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
| Sheldon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,471±$15kHighest 5% below NY |
$51,367±$3kLowest 40% below NY |
$71,214±$5k 17% below NY |
| Durham and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$26kHighest 42% below NY |
$151,400±$26kLowest 64% below NY |
$175,900±$14k 58% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$844 39% below NY |
$997±$182Highest 38% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Altona and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,728Highest 43% below NY |
$1,687Lowest 74% below NY |
$3,037 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
69.5%±68.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Altona and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.2%Highest NY: 14% |
11.8% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1980Highest 21 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
27 minLowest 16% below NY |
33 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.3%±2.1 NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| 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 |
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.