Compare towns
Brookfield vs Harmony vs Columbus
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 expensive homes ($153k median).
Harmony has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.9%).
Columbus has the most people working from home (22.2%).
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 | Harmony | Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150 |
2,344Highest |
849Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.9% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
41.8±7 5% above NY |
43.6±11.8Highest 10% above NY |
| Columbus and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±9Lowest 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% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.8%±6.1 NY: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Columbus 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% |
17.1% NY: 40.2% |
19.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
2.8%±2.1 NY: 7% |
| Harmony and Columbus 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 |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
$58,889±$11k 32% below NY |
| Brookfield and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $152,800±$28kHighest 64% below NY |
$128,300±$15k 70% below NY |
$124,700±$36kLowest 71% below NY |
| Brookfield and Harmony 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 |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,500±$635Highest 7% below NY |
| Columbus and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,197Highest 51% below NY |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
$3,071 53% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6 NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.6%±92.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Columbus 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% |
9.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.2%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 19 yrs newer than NY |
1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 11% above NY |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
32 min about the NY average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1 NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
22.2%±16.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Columbus and Brookfield 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.