Compare towns
Johnstown vs Waterloo vs Herkimer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Johnstown has the most expensive homes ($158k median).
Waterloo has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.5%).
Herkimer has the most renters (40.4% rent).
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 | Johnstown | Waterloo | Herkimer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,111 |
7,324Lowest |
9,534Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 44±4.8Lowest 11% above NY |
45.4±3.1 14% above NY |
45.6±3.4Highest 15% above NY |
| Herkimer and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±3.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.8%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
16.2%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Johnstown and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±3.9Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.9%±3.7Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.5%±3.2Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Waterloo and Johnstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.7% NY: 40.2% |
21.8%Highest NY: 40.2% |
17.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.7Lowest NY: 7% |
7.2%±2.1Highest NY: 7% |
7.1%±1.8 NY: 7% |
| Waterloo and Herkimer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,763±$9kHighest 26% below NY |
$63,226±$11k 26% below NY |
$56,287±$14kLowest 35% below NY |
| Johnstown and Waterloo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $157,800±$11kHighest 63% below NY |
$117,500±$8kLowest 72% below NY |
$136,300±$22k 68% below NY |
| Johnstown and Herkimer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $914±$43 44% below NY |
$922±$39Highest 43% below NY |
$820±$74Lowest 49% below NY |
| Waterloo and Johnstown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,613Highest 45% below NY |
$3,396Lowest 48% below NY |
$3,453 48% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.2%±12Lowest NY: 52.1% |
47.6%±11.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
45.9%±15.8 NY: 52.1% |
| Waterloo and Herkimer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
10.6% NY: 14% |
21.7%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.3% NY: 54.3% |
65.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
59.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
1956Highest 3 yrs older than NY |
1944 15 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 42% below NY |
22 minHighest 33% below NY |
22 min 34% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.6%±3.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.4%±5.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±5.3 NY: 14.9% |
| Waterloo and Herkimer 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 | #403 of 484 in NY | #340 of 484 in NY | #363 of 484 in NY |
| School district | JOHNSTOWN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | WATERLOO CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | HERKIMER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | JOHNSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL | WATERLOO HIGH SCHOOL | HERKIMER HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
9.0Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.