Compare towns
Harmony vs Jay 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).
Jay has the most expensive homes ($197k 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 | Jay | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344Lowest |
2,354 |
7,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.8% NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
48.8±4.6Highest 23% above NY |
46.6±4.8 17% above NY |
| Jay and Busti 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%±4.1Lowest 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% |
25.3%±4.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5 NY: 17.9% |
| Jay and Busti 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% |
31.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6Highest NY: 7% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1 NY: 7% |
| Harmony and Busti 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 |
$72,380±$19kHighest 16% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
| Jay 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 |
$196,900±$22kHighest 54% below NY |
$164,600±$12k 61% below NY |
| Jay and Busti 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 |
$1,272±$366Highest 22% below NY |
$1,085±$106 33% below NY |
| Jay and Busti 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 |
$3,741 43% below NY |
$3,876Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
27.4%±21.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% NY: 14% |
6.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% NY: 54.3% |
88.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
28 minHighest 13% below NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.8%±3.2 NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Busti and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | AUSABLE VALLEY 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.