Cairo is surrounded by ski resorts and mountain scenery
In the foothills of the Catskill Mountains is the town of Cairo, one of Greene County’s larger areas. Residents might live close to the small businesses and restaurants along Main Street or tucked away in the wooded scenery for some privacy. “Cairo is the center of the county, and the location of Cairo is really great,” says Elizabeth “Beth” Alfeld, a broker with Keller Williams Realty Hudson Valley North who lives in the area. “We’re 25 minutes from two major ski resorts, Windham and Hunter. We’re 30 minutes to Woodstock, the best-known little town in the world. It’s 30 minutes to Hudson, 20 minutes to Catskill and an hour to Albany and the Albany International Airport. It’s two hours from New York City, so the location is prime.” Cairo offers a place to live among beautiful mountains with small town charms, like locally owned businesses, while still having direct access to resorts and larger cities.
Cabins, quaint Colonial Revivals and chalets surrounded by woods
Homes clustered around Main Street are closer together, while most homes throughout Cairo are spaced out along winding two-lane roads. “Cairo is the main town, and then we have Round Top, Purling, South Caro and Acra,” Alfeld says. “Cairo and Round Top were, in the olden days, a big resort community. People would come up for a week with their families. ... In Round Top, a few of the resorts still do really well.” Colonial Revivals and cabin-style homes tend to sell for $440,000 to $830,000. Ranch-style homes, compact chalets and manufactured homes can go for less than $100,000 to $440,000. While uncommon, there have been properties with grand homes and sprawling lots that have sold for over $1 million. The town of Cairo has access to public water and sewer, though many homes have well water systems or septic tanks. Some residents live in Cairo year-round, but there are also many second homeowners who stay in the area during ski season and turn their homes in Airbnb rentals for the rest of the year.
Driving around or taking the Hudson train to Albany
Residents drive to get around, and New York State Highway 23 is one of the most used roads because it leads to Catskill and Windham. Cairo has family care centers, but the nearest emergency room is at Columbia Memorial Hospital, 16 miles away in Hudson. Anyone who needs to reach downtown Albany or the Albany International Airport can drive the nearly 40-mile distance using Interstate 87 or take an Amtrak train from Hudson up to the city. Drivers going down Main Street pass churches like Cairo United Methodist Church, but there’s also the Mahayana Temple Retreat that has been tucked away in the northern part of town since the 1970s. Living in the mountains means dealing with snowy winters, but Alfeld says schools aren’t as quick to declare a snow day as other areas. “Our kids go to school,” Alfeld says. “It's not like Jersey or Manhattan; we know what to do. We have people who come up for the winter. They want to keep the roads open.”
Cairo-Durham Central School District gets money for new books
The Cairo-Durham Central School District serves the town and earns a C from Niche. The C-rated Cairo-Durham Elementary School is in Cairo. Cairo-Durham Middle School receives a B-minus and shares a campus of Cairo-Durham High School, which gets the same grade. The district received nearly $1,300 from the Stewart's Holiday Match Grant in 2025 to purchase books for elementary-grade readers.
Town park celebrations and visiting local resorts
Angelo Canna Town Park is tucked behind Main Street, with athletic fields, paved basketball courts and a playground. “They have car shows and music sometimes,” Alfeld says. “They have a big Fourth of July. The county 4H has their fair there.” Hunter Mountain is the tallest peak in Greene County and a popular ski resort 30 minutes from Cairo. Windham Resort is also about half an hour away, with ski slopes, a golf course and guided tours for fly fishing or horseback riding. The Cairo Public Library is more than a cozy place to browse books and media. The library’s calendar usually includes a monthly community meal and fundraisers, like seasonal bake sales.
Visiting Main Street's brewery, bakeries or grocery stores
Cairo has a blend of small businesses and big box stores, particularly along Main Street. “We have an old-fashioned Main Street with sidewalks on both sides," Alfeld says. Red Star Cafe & Bakery serves fresh coffee and tea that pairs with the breakfast and lunch menu items. Alfeld highlights Old Factory Brewing Company, which offers classic American dishes for lunch and dinner alongside a selection of craft beers and wine. There are restaurants and small resorts in the Round Top area with rustic designs to fit the mountain scenery. “The Glenn Falls house was purchased by a couple of guys from Brooklyn,” Alfeld says. “They have different weekends of people coming up, so that’s really brought the second-home people to Round Top.” Julia’s Local uses ingredients grown in the restaurant’s garden to craft dishes with a Scandinavian twist. There’s a Hannaford grocery store off Main Street, though locals also support butcher shops like T&C Products and the Alpine Pork Store.
