Compare towns
Johnson City vs Olean vs Waltham
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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Waltham has the most expensive homes ($330k 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 | Olean | Waltham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,940Highest |
13,738 |
452Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| 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%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14kHighest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $117,100±$4k 65% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$329,700±$51kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,031±$66 27% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113Highest 22% below U.S. |
| Waltham and Johnson City 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 |
$5,714Highest 83% 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% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest 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% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 min 38% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school 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.