Compare towns
Harmony vs Oneida 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).
Oneida has the most renters (38.1% rent).
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 | Oneida | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344Lowest |
10,171Highest |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-9.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
47±2.4Highest 18% above NY |
46.6±4.8 17% above NY |
| Oneida 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% |
19%±2.4Lowest 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%±2.8 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Oneida 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% |
25.3% NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.5%±1.2Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Oneida 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 |
$61,597±$6k 28% below NY |
$67,292±$9kHighest 22% below NY |
| Busti and Oneida 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 |
$160,100±$9k 62% below NY |
$164,600±$12kHighest 61% below NY |
| Busti and Oneida 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 |
$903±$77 44% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Busti and Oneida 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 |
$3,778 43% below NY |
$3,876Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
48.2%±10.8 NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Oneida 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% |
14.3% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
61.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
72.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1946Lowest 13 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 21% below NY |
19 minLowest 41% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
8%±1.5Lowest 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 | — | #106 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ONEIDA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | ONEIDA SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5Lowest |
11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.