What stands out worked out from the figures below

DeRuyter has the most people working from home (16.1%).

Panama has the oldest population (median age 46.6).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	DeRuyter	Panama
People
Population	349Lowest	451Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-26.9% NY: +4.2%	—
Median age	41.3±16.1Lowest 4% above NY	46.6±6.9Highest 17% above NY
	Panama and DeRuyter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.6%±8.2Highest NY: 20.5%	12.4%±3.1Lowest NY: 20.5%
	DeRuyter and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.8%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9%	23.3%±6.3Lowest NY: 17.9%
	DeRuyter and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Highest NY: 40.2%	19.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±6Lowest NY: 7%	4.7%±2.8Highest NY: 7%
	Panama and DeRuyter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$55,000±$23kLowest 36% below NY	$60,865±$8kHighest 29% below NY
	Panama and DeRuyter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$107,600±$9kHighest 75% below NY	$105,400±$14kLowest 75% below NY
	DeRuyter and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$456±$50Lowest 72% below NY	$785±$43Highest 52% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,407Lowest 63% below NY	$2,500Highest 62% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±39Highest NY: 52.1%	41.9%±24.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
	DeRuyter and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.3%Highest NY: 14%	12.9%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62%Highest NY: 54.3%	55.3%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1965Highest 6 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 24% below NY	24 minLowest 27% below NY
Work from home	16.1%±13.1Highest NY: 14.9%	4.9%±2.9Lowest NY: 14.9%
	DeRuyter and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.