Compare towns
Waterloo vs Cairo vs Tupper Lake
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterloo has the most affordable homes ($114k median).
Cairo has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.4%).
Tupper Lake has the shortest commute (15 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 | Waterloo | Cairo | Tupper Lake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,605Lowest |
6,700Highest |
5,104 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7% NY: +4.2% |
-0.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-13.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 50.8±4.5Highest 28% above NY |
44.2±4.2Lowest 11% above NY |
47.7±4.7 20% above NY |
| Waterloo and Tupper Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5 NY: 20.5% |
18.8%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Tupper Lake and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.5%±4.4 NY: 17.9% |
| Waterloo and Tupper Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.5% NY: 40.2% |
28.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.5Highest NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5 NY: 7% |
1.5%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Waterloo and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,642±$9kLowest 40% below NY |
$79,643±$22kHighest 7% below NY |
$65,433±$11k 24% below NY |
| Cairo and Tupper Lake are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $114,300±$7kLowest 73% below NY |
$263,400±$18kHighest 38% below NY |
$151,300±$29k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $927±$49 43% below NY |
$1,015±$305Highest 37% below NY |
$793±$119Lowest 51% below NY |
| Cairo and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,772 43% below NY |
$4,246Highest 35% below NY |
$3,670Lowest 44% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.6%±13.9 NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
24.1%±9.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Cairo and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.7% NY: 14% |
10.5%Lowest NY: 14% |
17.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
71.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
1958 1 yr older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 35% below NY |
29 minHighest 13% below NY |
15 minLowest 55% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.2%±7.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2 NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Waterloo 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 | #459 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | NYS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES · TUPPER LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | TUPPER LAKE MIDDLE-HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| 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.