Compare towns
Lancaster vs Harmony vs Schroeppel 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
Lancaster has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Harmony has the most affordable homes ($128k median).
Schroeppel has the highest household income ($73k).
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 | Lancaster | Harmony | Schroeppel | Busti |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,113Highest |
2,344Lowest |
7,938 |
7,452 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-6.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 45.1±4.7 13% above NY |
41.8±7Lowest 5% above NY |
45.3±2.5 14% above NY |
46.6±4.8Highest 17% above NY |
| Busti and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
22.9%±3.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
22.6%±3 NY: 20.5% |
19.9%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Harmony and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±4.5 NY: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.8%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
23.8%±3.5Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Busti and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.6% NY: 40.2% |
17.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
30%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.5% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.1%±1.2 NY: 7% |
2.4%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Lancaster and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,148±$7k 23% below NY |
$58,600±$11kLowest 32% below NY |
$73,082±$9kHighest 15% below NY |
$67,292±$9k 22% below NY |
| Schroeppel and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $202,200±$16kHighest 52% below NY |
$128,300±$15kLowest 70% below NY |
$188,400±$14k 56% below NY |
$164,600±$12k 61% below NY |
| Lancaster and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$169 40% below NY |
$788±$40Lowest 51% below NY |
$972±$69 40% below NY |
$1,085±$106Highest 33% below NY |
| Busti and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,932Highest 25% below NY |
$2,805Lowest 57% below NY |
$4,546 31% below NY |
$3,876 41% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±19 NY: 52.1% |
43%±18.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
55.3%±7.5 NY: 52.1% |
55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Busti and Schroeppel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest NY: 14% |
9.1% NY: 14% |
15%Highest NY: 14% |
14.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7% NY: 54.3% |
84.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77% NY: 54.3% |
72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1952Lowest 7 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
1968 9 yrs newer than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 42% below NY |
26 minHighest 21% below NY |
23 min 31% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 7%±3.1Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.1%±4.4 NY: 14.9% |
9.4%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Busti and Schroeppel 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 | — | — | #277 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | PANAMA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | PHOENIX CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | PANAMA HIGH SCHOOL | JOHN C BIRDLEBOUGH HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.5Lowest |
9.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.