Compare towns
Ellicott vs Harmony vs Busti
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellicott has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Harmony has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Busti has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).
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.
| Measure | Ellicott | Harmony | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,659Highest |
2,344Lowest |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.3±3.1 14% above NY |
41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% 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 | 20.7%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±3.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.1%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5 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+ | 27.7% NY: 40.2% |
17.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±0.9Lowest NY: 7% |
3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Harmony and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,880±$7k 29% below NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
$67,292±$9kHighest 22% below NY |
| Busti and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $120,700±$10kLowest 72% below NY |
$128,300±$15k 70% below NY |
$164,600±$12kHighest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $875±$46 46% below NY |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 60% below NY |
$2,805 57% below NY |
$3,876Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±9.3 NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Ellicott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11% NY: 14% |
9.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
72.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 52% below NY |
26 minHighest 21% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.2%±2.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Busti and Harmony 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 | #203 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | FALCONER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · SOUTHWESTERN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AT JAMESTOWN | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | FALCONER MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Highest |
8.5Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.