Compare towns
Busti vs Calais vs Middlesex vs Harmony
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Busti has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Busti | Calais | Middlesex | Harmony |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,452Highest |
1,713Lowest |
1,943 |
2,344 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
41.8±7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Busti and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Busti and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,292±$9k 17% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$58,600±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,600±$12k 51% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,876 24% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$2,805Lowest 10% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±18.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Busti and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None 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 |
U.S. 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.