Compare towns
Johnson City vs Olean vs Binghamton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnson City has the highest household income ($56k).
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Binghamton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Olean | Binghamton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,940 |
13,738Lowest |
47,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.4Highest about the NY average |
39±2.6 about the NY average |
35.9±1.6Lowest 10% below NY |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
16.9%±1.3Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
18%±1.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| 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 NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
30.7%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.2 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
13.3%±2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,283±$4kHighest 35% below NY |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$45,578±$3kLowest 47% below NY |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,100±$4k 72% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$124,800±$7kHighest 71% below NY |
| Binghamton and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,031±$66Highest 36% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$870±$38 46% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,982Highest 40% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,622 45% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±10.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
51.4%±3.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| 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%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.7% NY: 14% |
32.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.3% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
44%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949Highest 10 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1945 14 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 49% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.3%±2 NY: 14.9% |
| Johnson City and Binghamton 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 | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #426 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | BINGHAMTON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | BINGHAMTON HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.