Compare towns
Busti vs Windham vs Lakewood
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 kids (19.9% under 18).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($354k median).
Lakewood has the most renters (35.6% rent).
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 | Windham | Lakewood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,452Highest |
594Lowest |
2,957 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±4.8 20% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47.9±9.5Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Lakewood and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Busti and Lakewood 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Busti and Lakewood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lakewood and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,292±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$67,557±$30k 16% below U.S. |
| Windham and Lakewood 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. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$158,500±$20kLowest 52% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,085±$106Lowest 23% below U.S. |
— | $1,154±$105Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Lakewood and Busti 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. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,631Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.1%±20 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Busti and Lakewood 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% |
9.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Lakewood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.