Compare towns
Harmony vs Lancaster vs Brookfield
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).
Lancaster has the most expensive homes ($202k median).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (11.5%).
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 | Lancaster | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344 |
10,113Highest |
2,150Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-3.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-11.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7 5% above NY |
45.1±4.7Highest 13% above NY |
41.2±6.1Lowest 4% above NY |
| Lancaster 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% |
17.8%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
21.8%±4.9 NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Brookfield 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%±4.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.9%±4 NY: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.1% NY: 40.2% |
26.6%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.4%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest NY: 7% |
| Lancaster 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 |
$66,148±$7k 23% below NY |
$69,205±$9kHighest 20% below NY |
| Brookfield and Lancaster 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 |
$202,200±$16kHighest 52% below NY |
$152,800±$28k 64% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$969±$169 40% below NY |
$981±$75Highest 39% below NY |
| Brookfield and Lancaster 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 |
$4,932Highest 25% below NY |
$3,197 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52%±19Highest NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±35.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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% |
16.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
73.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 16 yrs newer than NY |
1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1978Highest 19 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
19 minLowest 42% below NY |
36 minHighest 11% above NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
7%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
11.5%±4.1Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Brookfield and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| 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.