Compare towns
Brookfield vs Busti vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most people working from home (11.5%).
Busti has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
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 | Brookfield | Busti | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150Lowest |
7,452Highest |
2,344 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
41.8±7 5% above NY |
| Busti and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
| Harmony and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9kHighest 20% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
| Brookfield and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$28k 64% below NY |
$164,600±$12kHighest 61% below NY |
$128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
| Busti and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75 39% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
| Busti and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197 51% below NY |
$3,876Highest 41% below NY |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6 NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest NY: 14% |
14.4% NY: 14% |
9.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 11% above NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
26 min 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.5 |
| 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.