Compare towns
Johnson City vs Norwich vs Olean
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnson City has the most renters (47.7% rent).
Norwich has the most expensive homes ($638k median).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k 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 | Johnson City | Norwich | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,940Highest |
3,640Lowest |
13,738 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Highest 5% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Norwich and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnson City and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,100±$4k 65% below U.S. |
$637,500±$76kHighest 92% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,031±$66 27% below U.S. |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,982 28% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 38% below U.S. |
19 minHighest 28% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | Norwich School District | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.