What stands out worked out from the figures below

Princetown has the most expensive homes ($316k median).

Durham has the most people working from home (13%).

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	Princetown	Durham
People
Population	1,860Lowest	2,641Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	47.9±4.7Lowest 20% above NY	48.8±5.1Highest 23% above NY
	Durham and Princetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±4.2Lowest NY: 20.5%	18.3%±5.2Highest NY: 20.5%
	Durham and Princetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.6%±3.1Lowest NY: 17.9%	24.2%±7Highest NY: 17.9%
	Durham and Princetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29%Highest NY: 40.2%	28.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±2.3Highest NY: 7%	1.3%±1.2Lowest NY: 7%
	Princetown and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$98,438±$21kHighest 14% above NY	$81,471±$15kLowest 5% below NY
	Princetown and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$315,700±$39kHighest 26% below NY	$245,300±$26kLowest 42% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,354±$91Highest 16% below NY	$994±$844Lowest 39% below NY
	Princetown and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,750Highest 13% below NY	$3,728Lowest 43% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.6%±58.5Highest NY: 52.1%	19.3%±40.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Princetown and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.2%Highest NY: 14%	4.1%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	92%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 12 yrs newer than NY	1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minLowest about the NY average	33 minHighest about the NY average
Work from home	6.2%±4Lowest NY: 14.9%	13%±7.8Highest NY: 14.9%
	Durham and Princetown 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
High school in town	—	CAIRO-DURHAM HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	7.9
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.