Compare towns
Olean vs Vernon vs Olean 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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Vernon has the most people working from home (19.4%).
Olean has the most homeowners (77.9%).
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 | Vernon | Olean | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
1,238Lowest |
1,664 |
14,940Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+0.4% NY: +4.2% |
-4.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
47.1±6.5 18% above NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
40.7±3.4 about the NY average |
| Olean and Vernon 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% |
14.3%±4.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Johnson City are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
20.3%±2.8 NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Olean 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%Highest NY: 40.2% |
18.1%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
29.6% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
8.2%±5.1 NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
9%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Johnson City and Vernon 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 |
$63,988±$15k 26% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$56,283±$4k 35% below NY |
| Olean and Vernon 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 |
$184,300±$23kHighest 57% below NY |
$158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$117,100±$4k 72% below NY |
| Vernon and Olean 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 |
$921±$54 43% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$1,031±$66Highest 36% below NY |
| Johnson City and Vernon 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 |
$3,393 48% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$3,982 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
40.8%±19Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 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% |
12.4%Lowest NY: 14% |
16.3% NY: 14% |
19.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% NY: 54.3% |
59.2% NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1942 17 yrs older than NY |
1962Highest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1949 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 56% below NY |
22 minHighest 32% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
17 min 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
19.4%±18.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
| Vernon 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 | #368 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — | — |
| 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.