Compare towns

Olean vs Reading 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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($377k 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.

MeasureOleanReadingJohnson City
People
Population
13,738
699Lowest
14,940Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+3.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+1.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
51.1±7.6Highest
31% above U.S.
40.7±3.4
5% above U.S.
Reading 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%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
18.5%±4.2
U.S.: 22%
18.1%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Olean and Reading 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%
28.2%±3.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.4%±2.6
U.S.: 17.2%
Reading 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%
46%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
29.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.1
U.S.: 6.4%
3.1%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
9%±2.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$51,261±$7kLowest
37% below U.S.
$85,000±$19kHighest
5% above U.S.
$56,283±$4k
30% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$86,100±$6kLowest
74% below U.S.
$377,200±$72kHighest
13% above U.S.
$117,100±$4k
65% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$794±$52Lowest
44% below U.S.
$1,100±$331Highest
22% below U.S.
$1,031±$66
27% below U.S.
Reading 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
$5,754Highest
84% above U.S.
$3,982
28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52%±9.1Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
63.3%±31.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
57.8%±10.9
U.S.: 51.1%
Reading 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%
8.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
19.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
55.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
52.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1969Highest
11 yrs older than U.S.
1949
31 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
33 minHighest
25% above U.S.
17 min
38% below U.S.
Work from home
8.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.9%±10.6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
9.7%±3.4
U.S.: 15.1%
Reading 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 Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 —
High school in town OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL None in town —
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.