Compare towns
Olean vs Union 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).
Union has the most expensive homes ($150k median).
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 | Union | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Lowest |
55,078Highest |
14,940 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-0.4% NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
41.4±1.2Highest 4% above NY |
40.7±3.4 about the NY average |
| Union 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 NY: 20.5% |
19%±1.3 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.3 NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Johnson City and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% NY: 40.2% |
33%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
6.1%±0.9 NY: 7% |
9%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Johnson City and Union 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 40% below NY |
$61,713±$2kHighest 28% below NY |
$56,283±$4k 35% below NY |
| Union 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 80% below NY |
$149,900±$5kHighest 65% below NY |
$117,100±$4k 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$936±$37 42% below NY |
$1,031±$66Highest 36% below NY |
| Johnson City and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$4,200Highest 36% below NY |
$3,982 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
49.2%±5.6Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Johnson City and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
16.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
58.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955Highest 4 yrs older than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
18 minHighest 46% below NY |
17 min 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9%±1.5 NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Johnson City and Union 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 | #199 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | UNION-ENDICOTT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT · JOHNSON CITY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | UNION-ENDICOTT HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.