What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).

Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Harmony	Whiting
People
Population	2,344Highest	532Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	41.8±7Highest 7% above U.S.	39.6±2.7Lowest about the U.S. average
	Harmony and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Whiting and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Harmony and Whiting 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 U.S.: 35.7%	25.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Whiting 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 27% below U.S.	$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S.
	Whiting and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S.	$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S.	$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S.
	Whiting and Harmony are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,805Lowest 10% below U.S.	$4,227Highest 36% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Whiting 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 U.S.: 12.5%	11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	65.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975 5 yrs older than U.S.	1975 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest about the U.S. average	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	8.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	10%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Whiting 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	Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53
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

U.S. 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.