Compare towns
Olean vs Fairlee vs Johnson City vs Amsterdam
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).
Fairlee has the most expensive homes ($274k median).
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.
| Measure | Olean | Fairlee | Johnson City | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,066Lowest |
14,940 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Amsterdam 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% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Johnson City and Fairlee 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. |
$74,760±$10kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$117,100±$4k 65% below U.S. |
$137,900±$11k 59% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
$1,031±$66 27% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$3,982 28% above U.S. |
$4,369 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee 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% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
53% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1949 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
17 min 38% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Amsterdam 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 | — | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Rivendell Interstate School District | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 18 photos → |
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.