Compare towns
Orange vs Cairo vs Dix
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($119k median).
Cairo has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Dix has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Orange | Cairo | Dix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,196Lowest |
6,700Highest |
3,660 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.5%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-2.8% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.6±6.3 17% above NY |
44.2±4.2Lowest 11% above NY |
50.1±2.8Highest 26% above NY |
| Dix and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5 NY: 20.5% |
13.7%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Orange and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
27.9%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Dix and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17.4% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
2.9%±1.9 NY: 7% |
| Cairo and Dix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,000±$9k 30% below NY |
$79,643±$22kHighest 7% below NY |
$53,668±$8kLowest 38% below NY |
| Cairo and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $119,200±$17kLowest 72% below NY |
$263,400±$18kHighest 38% below NY |
$165,000±$14k 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $932±$81 43% below NY |
$1,015±$305Highest 37% below NY |
$718±$172Lowest 56% below NY |
| Cairo and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,667Lowest 59% below NY |
$4,246Highest 35% below NY |
$3,141 52% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.1%±42.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
44.5%±13.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Orange and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest NY: 14% |
10.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.2% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
75.2% NY: 54.3% |
66.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 8% below NY |
29 min 13% below NY |
20 minLowest 39% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.3%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Cairo and Orange 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 | #391 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | WATKINS GLEN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9 |
| 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.