Compare towns
Johnson City vs Olean vs Ripton vs Union
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).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ripton | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 14,940 |
13,738 |
508Lowest |
55,078Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.4±1.2 6% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton and Johnson City 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% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$61,713±$2k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,100±$4k 65% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$394,400±$61kHighest 19% above U.S. |
$149,900±$5k 55% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,031±$66Highest 27% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
— | $936±$37 34% below U.S. |
| Johnson City and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,982 28% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$4,200 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Johnson City and Ripton 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% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 38% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
18 min 33% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±1.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ripton and Johnson City 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 | — | #199 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.