What stands out worked out from the figures below

Petersburgh has the most homeowners (90.9%).

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.

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

Measure	Petersburgh	Busti
People
Population	1,310Lowest	7,452Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10%Lowest NY: +4.2%	+2.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	51.3±6.3Highest 29% above NY	46.6±4.8Lowest 17% above NY
	Petersburgh and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.9%±3.3Highest NY: 20.5%
	Busti and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.8%±3.2 NY: 17.9%	23.8%±3.5 NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20%Lowest NY: 40.2%	29.5%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.6Lowest NY: 7%	2.4%±1.1Highest NY: 7%
	Busti and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,692±$15kHighest 10% below NY	$67,292±$9kLowest 22% below NY
	Petersburgh and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$170,300±$23kHighest 60% below NY	$164,600±$12kLowest 61% below NY
	Petersburgh and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$630Highest 32% below NY	$1,085±$106Lowest 33% below NY
	Petersburgh and Busti are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,223Lowest 51% below NY	$3,876Highest 41% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.2%±42.7Lowest NY: 52.1%	55.5%±13.2Highest NY: 52.1%
	Busti and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest NY: 14%	14.4%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.9%Highest NY: 54.3%	72.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY	1963Lowest 4 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 9% below NY	21 minLowest 35% below NY
Work from home	8.3%±3.5Lowest NY: 14.9%	9.5%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Busti and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.