Compare towns
Massena vs Olean vs Dunkirk vs Johnson City
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Dunkirk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
Johnson City has the most expensive homes ($117k 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 | Massena | Olean | Dunkirk | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,238Lowest |
13,738 |
12,549 |
14,940Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY |
40.7±3.4 about the NY average |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20%±2.8 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Johnson City and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.5 NY: 7% |
9%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,299±$6k 38% below NY |
$56,283±$4kHighest 35% below NY |
| Johnson City and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$94,700±$6k 78% below NY |
$117,100±$4kHighest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$866±$81 47% below NY |
$1,031±$66Highest 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,218 51% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,352Lowest 64% below NY |
$3,982Highest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±7.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 24.3% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
24.3% NY: 14% |
19.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.4% NY: 54.3% |
55.1% NY: 54.3% |
58.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 45% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
17 min 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Johnson City and Olean 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 | #465 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
9.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.