Compare towns
Harmony vs Lenox 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).
Lenox has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Lenox | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344Lowest |
8,658Highest |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
45.1±2 13% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
| Busti and Lenox 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% |
19.7%±2.6Lowest 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% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Lenox 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% |
21.8% NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.5%±1Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Lenox 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 |
$75,900±$8kHighest 12% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
| Lenox 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 |
$161,600±$9k 62% below NY |
$164,600±$12kHighest 61% below NY |
| Busti and Lenox 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 |
$935±$83 42% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Busti and Lenox 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 |
$4,184Highest 36% below NY |
$3,876 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
38.5%±9.4Lowest 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%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.4% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.2% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1955Lowest 4 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 21% below NY |
25 min 25% below NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8%±3Lowest 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 | — | #412 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT · CANASTOTA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | CANASTOTA HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5Lowest |
13.6Highest |
— |
| 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.