Compare towns
Busti vs Chenango vs Parma vs Ellicott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Busti has the oldest population (median age 46.6).
Chenango has the most people working from home (13.8%).
Parma has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.7%).
Ellicott has the most affordable homes ($121k 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 | Chenango | Parma | Ellicott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,452Lowest |
10,787 |
16,111Highest |
8,659 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% NY: +4.2% |
-2.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.7%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+0.6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
41±2.8 3% above NY |
40.4±3.3Lowest about the NY average |
45.3±3.1 14% above NY |
| Busti and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.7%±3 NY: 20.5% |
25.6%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.7%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.5 NY: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.6 NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
24.1%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Ellicott and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.5% NY: 40.2% |
35.2% NY: 40.2% |
35.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
27.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.8%±2Highest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.2 NY: 7% |
2.4%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
| Chenango and Parma 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 22% below NY |
$86,646±$9k about the NY average |
$93,558±$8kHighest 9% above NY |
$60,880±$7kLowest 29% below NY |
| Parma and Chenango are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $164,600±$12k 61% below NY |
$172,000±$9k 59% below NY |
$220,000±$15kHighest 48% below NY |
$120,700±$10kLowest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,085±$106 33% below NY |
$1,038±$97 36% below NY |
$1,216±$111Highest 25% below NY |
$875±$46Lowest 46% below NY |
| Parma and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,876 41% below NY |
$3,700 44% below NY |
$5,549Highest 16% below NY |
$2,662Lowest 60% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±8.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
49.8%±15.2 NY: 52.1% |
46.5%±9.3 NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
8.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
11% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7% NY: 54.3% |
85.3%Highest NY: 54.3% |
82.3% NY: 54.3% |
71.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
1964 5 yrs newer than NY |
1976Highest 17 yrs newer than NY |
1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 35% below NY |
24 minHighest 27% below NY |
22 min 32% below NY |
16 minLowest 52% below NY |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
13.8%±3.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
10.3%±2.2 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Chenango and Parma are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #233 of 484 in NY | #88 of 484 in NY | #203 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | CHENANGO FORKS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · CHENANGO VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HILTON CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JAMESTOWN |
| High school in town | — | CHENANGO FORKS HIGH SCHOOL | HILTON HIGH SCHOOL | FALCONER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.9Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| 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.