Compare towns
Java vs Cairo vs Windham 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
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
Cairo has the most renters (24.8% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.3%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($176k 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 | Java | Cairo | Windham | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,049 |
6,700Highest |
1,432Lowest |
2,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4% NY: +4.2% |
+0.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-1.7% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44.2±5.5Lowest 11% above NY |
44.2±4.2Lowest 11% above NY |
56.5±5.1Highest 42% above NY |
48.9±7.6 23% above NY |
| Windham and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±4.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5 NY: 20.5% |
11.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
14.9%±3.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Java and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 NY: 17.9% |
31.4%±5.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
25%±3.2 NY: 17.9% |
| Windham and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6% NY: 40.2% |
28.9% NY: 40.2% |
43.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5 NY: 7% |
6.6%±5Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±2.8 NY: 7% |
| Windham and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$79,643±$22k 7% below NY |
$76,477±$17k 11% below NY |
$71,214±$5kLowest 17% below NY |
| Java and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $223,900±$30k 47% below NY |
$263,400±$18k 38% below NY |
$315,600±$74kHighest 26% below NY |
$175,900±$14kLowest 58% below NY |
| Windham and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $863±$419 47% below NY |
$1,015±$305Highest 37% below NY |
$850±$295 48% below NY |
$818±$84Lowest 50% below NY |
| Cairo and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,775 43% below NY |
$4,246Highest 35% below NY |
$3,363 49% below NY |
$3,037Lowest 54% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
68.9%±35.7Highest NY: 52.1% |
50.9%±21.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Windham and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.5% NY: 14% |
7.4% NY: 14% |
11.8%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
75.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89% NY: 54.3% |
81.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
1985Highest 26 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 17% below NY |
29 min 13% below NY |
27 minLowest 18% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
| Work from home | 9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2 NY: 14.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
2.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Windham 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| 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.