Compare towns
Olean vs Ryegate 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).
Ryegate has the most expensive homes ($219k median).
Johnson City has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Amsterdam has the most people working from home (10.5%).
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 | Ryegate | Johnson City | Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,059Lowest |
14,940 |
18,166Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8% 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 |
41.2±2.6Highest 6% above U.S. |
40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
39.5±1.2 about the U.S. average |
| Ryegate 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% |
23.2%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Ryegate 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% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Johnson City and Ryegate 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
22.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$66,484±$15kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
$56,178±$8k 30% below U.S. |
| Ryegate and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$219,300±$32kHighest 34% 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. |
$908±$236 36% below U.S. |
$1,031±$66Highest 27% below U.S. |
$1,006±$45 29% below U.S. |
| Johnson City and Amsterdam 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 |
$3,472 11% above U.S. |
$3,982 28% above U.S. |
$4,369Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±10.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.4%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Johnson City and Ryegate 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% |
14.5%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% |
84.7%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. |
1949Highest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
1949Highest 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. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 min 38% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amsterdam 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 | — | — | #474 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | AMSTERDAM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 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 | 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.