Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
15% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Cato, where New York’s towns sit at 32% and U.S. towns at 29%. Cato has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Cato beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,075 in 1810, a peak of 4,021 in 1820, 2,445 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1978 and 3 maps from 1902 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cato, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Cato.
A winter brings about 79 inches of snow, with January nights at 16° and July afternoons at 81°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Employers in Cato added 246 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 320. Most working residents leave Cato for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Ira (10%), Syracuse (8%) and DeWitt (8%). Half the trips to work are shorter than 20 miles.
| Cato | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4.6% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Cato once, in 2003. FEMA puts 84% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Flood insurance has paid out on 8 claims in the town since 1980.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
18% of Cato adults report frequent mental distress. Of 32 CDC measures, Cato beats the New York average on 4 and trails it on 5.
| Cato | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 32% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 36% |
| What stands out | Cato | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 13.5% | 17.2% |
| More smokers | 15.4% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cato. Close and well known come first.
24 mi Stadium & arenaJMA Wireless Dome
39 mi LakeSeneca Lake
34 mi LakeCayuga Lake
19 mi LakeOnondaga Lake
35 mi MountainCumorah
23 mi Stadium & arenaOncenter War Memorial ArenaJMA Wireless Dome: Jimhoward03, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Seneca Lake: RochesterNY, Public domain · Cayuga Lake: The original uploader was Cornellrockey at English Wikipedia. Later versions we, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Onondaga Lake: R. A. Nonenmacher, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cumorah: Hillcumorahpageantstage.jpg: la salebete derivative work: Eustress (talk), CC BY-SA 2.0 · Oncenter War Memorial Arena: Crazyale, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Cato; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Cato residents are enrolled in college, about the same as New York.
Town in New York, United States
Cato is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. According to the 2020 census, the town had a population of 2,445. The town is named after Cato the Elder, a Roman statesman. The name was assigned by the surveyors of the Military Tract, and is one of many towns and villages bearing a classical name. The town of Cato contains part of a village also named Cato, as well as the entire village of Meridian. Cato is northwest of Syracuse.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cato has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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