Compare towns
Brookfield vs Harmony vs Jay
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%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Jay has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.8%).
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 | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,150Lowest |
2,344 |
2,354Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-0.8%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
41.8±7 5% above NY |
48.8±4.6Highest 23% above NY |
| Jay 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% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
16%±4.1Lowest 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% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Jay 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% |
17.1% NY: 40.2% |
31.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3 NY: 7% |
3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest 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±$9k 20% below NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
$72,380±$19kHighest 16% below NY |
| Jay and Brookfield 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 |
$128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
$196,900±$22kHighest 54% below NY |
| Jay 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 |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,272±$366Highest 22% below NY |
| Jay 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 |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
$3,741Highest 43% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±35.6Highest NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1Lowest 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% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
6.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
1975Lowest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 11% above NY |
26 minLowest 21% below NY |
28 min 13% below NY |
| Work from home | 11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUSABLE VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| 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.