What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harmony has the most homeowners (84.6%).

Herkimer has the most renters (40.4% 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.

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

Measure	Harmony	Herkimer
People
Population	2,344Lowest	9,534Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-6%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY	45.6±3.4Highest 15% above NY
	Herkimer and Harmony 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%	16.2%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Harmony and Herkimer 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%	21.5%±3.2Highest NY: 17.9%
	Herkimer and Harmony 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%	17.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.6Lowest NY: 7%	7.1%±1.8Highest NY: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$58,600±$11kHighest 32% below NY	$56,287±$14kLowest 35% below NY
	Harmony and Herkimer 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	$136,300±$22kHighest 68% below NY
	Herkimer and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY	$820±$74Highest 49% below NY
	Herkimer and Harmony 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	$3,453Highest 48% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1%	45.9%±15.8Highest NY: 52.1%
	Herkimer and Harmony 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%	21.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest NY: 54.3%	59.6%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY	1944Lowest 15 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 21% below NY	22 minLowest 34% below NY
Work from home	8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.4%±5.3Highest NY: 14.9%
	Herkimer 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	—	#363 of 484 in NY
School district	PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	HERKIMER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL	HERKIMER HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	8.5Lowest	11.0Highest
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.