Compare towns
Busti vs Sandgate vs Harmony vs Lancaster
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 most renters (27.3% rent).
Sandgate has the most people working from home (34.6%).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Lancaster has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Sandgate | Harmony | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,452 |
435Lowest |
2,344 |
10,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8 20% above U.S. |
55.7±5.4Highest 43% above U.S. |
41.8±7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.1±4.7 16% above U.S. |
| Sandgate and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26%±11.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandgate 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Harmony 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. |
$69,167±$19kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$58,600±$11kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$66,148±$7k 18% below U.S. |
| Sandgate and Busti 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. |
$193,800±$31k 42% below U.S. |
$128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$202,200±$16kHighest 39% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Sandgate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,085±$106Highest 23% below U.S. |
— | $788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$969±$169 31% below U.S. |
| Busti and Lancaster 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. |
$2,778Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$2,805 10% below U.S. |
$4,932Highest 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43%±18.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±19 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Busti and Lancaster 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% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 3% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.6%±32.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sandgate and Busti 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 | 6 photos → | 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.