Compare towns
Durham vs Sheldon vs Jay vs Cairo
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%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($176k median).
Jay has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Cairo has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
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 | Sheldon | Jay | Cairo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,641 |
2,216Lowest |
2,354 |
6,700Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
-0.8% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 48.8±5.1 23% above NY |
48.9±7.6Highest 23% above NY |
48.8±4.6 23% above NY |
44.2±4.2Lowest 11% 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%±5.2Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16%±4.1 NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Durham and Cairo 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% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Jay and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
31.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
28.9% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Cairo and Sheldon 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 |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
$72,380±$19k 16% below NY |
$79,643±$22k 7% below NY |
| Durham and Cairo 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 |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
$196,900±$22k 54% below NY |
$263,400±$18kHighest 38% below NY |
| Cairo and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $994±$844 39% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
$1,272±$366Highest 22% below NY |
$1,015±$305 37% below NY |
| Jay and Cairo 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 |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
$3,741 43% below NY |
$4,246Highest 35% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1 NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Sheldon and Cairo 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% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
6.7% NY: 14% |
10.5% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92%Highest NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.4% NY: 54.3% |
75.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest about the NY average |
33 min about the NY average |
28 minLowest 13% below NY |
29 min 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Durham 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 | #100 of 484 in NY | — | — | #461 of 484 in NY |
| School district | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL | — | None in town | 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.