Compare towns
Olean vs Conewango vs Oswego 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 affordable homes ($86k median).
Conewango has the most kids (41.6% under 18).
Oswego has the most renters (49.8% rent).
Johnson City has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Olean | Conewango | Oswego | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
2,073Lowest |
17,033Highest |
14,940 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-3.9% NY: +4.2% |
-6.7%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6 about the NY average |
24.4±4Lowest 39% below NY |
35.7±1.6 10% below NY |
40.7±3.4Highest about the NY average |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
41.6%±10.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
21.9%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.8Lowest NY: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1 NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
26.1% NY: 40.2% |
29.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest NY: 7% |
10.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
9%±2.2 NY: 7% |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$50,598±$11kLowest 41% below NY |
$53,172±$4k 38% below NY |
$56,283±$4kHighest 35% below NY |
| Johnson City and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$124,800±$65kHighest 71% below NY |
$120,600±$7k 72% below NY |
$117,100±$4k 72% below NY |
| Conewango and Oswego are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 51% below NY |
$567±$311Lowest 65% below NY |
$1,109±$72Highest 32% below NY |
$1,031±$66 36% below NY |
| Oswego and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130 52% below NY |
$2,719Lowest 59% below NY |
$3,362 49% below NY |
$3,982Highest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
16.7%±34.2Lowest NY: 52.1% |
60.4%±7.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Oswego 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% NY: 14% |
32%Highest NY: 14% |
20.6% NY: 14% |
19.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
81.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
50.2%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
52.3% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
21 minHighest 36% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
17 min 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
13.2%±7Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.6%±2.9 NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Conewango 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 | — | #285 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OSWEGO CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | OSWEGO HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| 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.