Compare towns
Durham vs Providence vs Jay
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%).
Providence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($197k 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 | Durham | Providence | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,641Highest |
1,971Lowest |
2,354 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-0.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.8±5.1Lowest 23% above NY |
48.9±5.2Highest 23% above NY |
48.8±4.6Lowest 23% above NY |
| Providence and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±5.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.7%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
| Durham and Jay 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%±3.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Jay 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%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.9% NY: 40.2% |
31.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
6.8%±2.9Highest NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7 NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,471±$15k 5% below NY |
$92,574±$16kHighest 8% above NY |
$72,380±$19kLowest 16% below NY |
| Providence and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,300±$26k 42% below NY |
$270,500±$25kHighest 36% below NY |
$196,900±$22kLowest 54% below NY |
| Providence and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$844Lowest 39% below NY |
$1,449±$383Highest 11% below NY |
$1,272±$366 22% below NY |
| Providence and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,728 43% below NY |
$3,275Lowest 50% below NY |
$3,741Highest 43% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
27.9%±50.8Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1 NY: 52.1% |
| Providence and Jay 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% |
11.1%Highest NY: 14% |
6.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92% NY: 54.3% |
94.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1993Highest 34 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
32 min about the NY average |
28 minLowest 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.7%±2.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Durham and Jay 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 | — | AUSABLE VALLEY 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 |
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.