Compare towns
Harmony vs Williston vs Busti
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Busti has the most renters (27.3% rent).
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 | Williston | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,344Lowest |
10,144Highest |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
46.6±4.8Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Busti and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harmony and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Busti and Williston 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% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$67,292±$9k 17% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $128,300±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$164,600±$12k 51% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $788±$40Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,085±$106 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,805Lowest 10% below U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,876 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43%±18.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Busti and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | — |
| 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 | 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.