Compare towns
Harmony vs Panama 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 homeowners (84.6%).
Panama has the most renters (44.7% rent).
Busti has the most expensive homes ($165k median).
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 | Panama | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344 |
451Lowest |
7,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
— | +2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
46.6±6.9Highest 17% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
12.4%±3.1Lowest 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% |
23.3%±6.3 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Panama 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% |
19.9% NY: 40.2% |
29.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
4.7%±2.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Panama 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 |
$60,865±$8k 29% below NY |
$67,292±$9kHighest 22% below NY |
| Busti and Panama are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $128,300±$15k 70% below NY |
$105,400±$14kLowest 75% below NY |
$164,600±$12kHighest 61% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $788±$40 51% below NY |
$785±$43Lowest 52% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,805 57% below NY |
$2,500Lowest 62% below NY |
$3,876Highest 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6 NY: 52.1% |
41.9%±24.1Lowest 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%Lowest NY: 14% |
12.9% NY: 14% |
14.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
72.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1965 6 yrs newer than NY |
1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 21% below NY |
24 min 27% below NY |
21 minLowest 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
4.9%±2.9Lowest 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 | |||
| 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.