Compare towns

Olean vs Brunswick vs Johnson City

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Brunswick has the highest household income ($128k).
Johnson City has the most renters (47.7% 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.

MeasureOleanBrunswickJohnson City
People
Population
13,738
109Lowest
14,940Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
+1.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
57.5±13.8Highest
48% above U.S.
40.7±3.4
5% above U.S.
Brunswick and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.5%±2.9
U.S.: 22%
23.9%±24.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.1%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Brunswick and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.1%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
39.4%±25.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.4%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Brunswick 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+
29.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
35.8%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
29.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.7%±11
U.S.: 6.4%
9%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Johnson City and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,261±$7kLowest
37% below U.S.
$128,125±$33kHighest
59% above U.S.
$56,283±$4k
30% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$86,100±$6kLowest
74% below U.S.
$228,100±$52kHighest
31% below U.S.
$117,100±$4k
65% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52Lowest
44% below U.S.
—
$1,031±$66Highest
27% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,130
about the U.S. average
$2,472Lowest
21% below U.S.
$3,982Highest
28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
100%±100Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Brunswick and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
26.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
19.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1976Highest
4 yrs older than U.S.
1949
31 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
41 minHighest
56% above U.S.
17 min
38% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
10.5%±15.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.7%±3.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Brunswick 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 — —
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.