Compare towns
Brookfield vs Freedom vs Java 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%).
Java has the highest household income ($95k).
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 | Freedom | Java | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,150 |
2,483Highest |
2,049Lowest |
2,344 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-6% NY: +4.2% |
-4.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
43.2±7 9% above NY |
44.2±5.5Highest 11% above NY |
41.8±7 5% above NY |
| Java and Freedom 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% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±4.7 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%±4Highest NY: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.5%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8% NY: 40.2% |
15.5%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
24.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17.1% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
3.9%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
3%±2.4 NY: 7% |
3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
| Freedom and Java are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,205±$9k 20% below NY |
$73,646±$24k 14% below NY |
$95,129±$24kHighest 11% above NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
| Java and Freedom 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 |
$176,900±$19k 58% below NY |
$223,900±$30kHighest 47% below NY |
$128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
| Java and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$75Highest 39% below NY |
$519±$219Lowest 68% below NY |
$863±$419 47% below NY |
$788±$40 51% below NY |
| Brookfield and Java 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 |
$3,443 48% below NY |
$3,775Highest 43% below NY |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
10.1%±32.5 NY: 52.1% |
2.5%±61.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Brookfield and Harmony 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% |
7% NY: 14% |
3.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
88.9% NY: 54.3% |
95.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
84.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1982Highest 23 yrs newer than NY |
1956Lowest 3 yrs older than NY |
1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 11% above NY |
28 min 15% below NY |
27 min 17% below NY |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
6.9%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Java 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 | 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.