Compare towns
Harmony vs Cairo 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
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Cairo has the most expensive homes ($263k median).
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 | Harmony | Cairo | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344Lowest |
6,700 |
7,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4% NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
44.2±4.2 11% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
| Busti and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
28.9% NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cairo and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
$79,643±$22kHighest 7% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
| Cairo and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
$263,400±$18kHighest 38% below NY |
$164,600±$12k 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,015±$305 37% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Busti and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
$4,246Highest 35% below NY |
$3,876 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
45.1%±16.2 NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Cairo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.5% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
75.2% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1973 14 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
29 minHighest 13% below NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.1%±6.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5 NY: 14.9% |
| Cairo and Busti 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 | — | #461 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | CAIRO-DURHAM CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5 |
— | — |
| 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.