What stands out worked out from the figures below

Pomfret has the shortest commute (18 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Pomfret	Cairo
People
Population	12,795Highest	6,700Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.9%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	37.5±4Lowest 6% below NY	44.2±4.2Highest 11% above NY
	Cairo and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±2.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	17.9%±3.5Highest NY: 20.5%
	Cairo and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±3.3Lowest NY: 17.9%	22.9%±4.2Highest NY: 17.9%
	Cairo and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.4%Highest NY: 40.2%	28.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	22.5%±3Highest NY: 7%	3.7%±1.5Lowest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,746±$10kLowest 33% below NY	$79,643±$22kHighest 7% below NY
	Cairo and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,400±$19kLowest 56% below NY	$263,400±$18kHighest 38% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$866±$43Lowest 47% below NY	$1,015±$305Highest 37% below NY
	Cairo and Pomfret are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,459Highest 32% below NY	$4,246Lowest 35% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60.1%±10.4Highest NY: 52.1%	45.1%±16.2Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Pomfret and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	22.6%Highest NY: 14%	10.5%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	63.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	75.2%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY	1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 45% below NY	29 minHighest 13% below NY
Work from home	11.8%±4Highest NY: 14.9%	11.1%±6.2Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Pomfret 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	#211 of 484 in NY	#461 of 484 in NY
School district	FREDONIA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	FREDONIA HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.0	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.