Compare towns
Olean vs Waltham vs Mendon 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).
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
Mendon has the most people working from home (22.5%).
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 | Waltham | Mendon | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 13,738 |
452Lowest |
1,113 |
14,940Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
53.4±10.5 37% above U.S. |
40.7±3.4 5% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Mendon 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% |
12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
39% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.4%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%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$100,524±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$56,283±$4k 30% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Waltham 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. |
$329,700±$51k about the U.S. average |
$357,000±$44kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$117,100±$4k 65% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
$1,230±$651Highest 13% below U.S. |
$1,031±$66 27% below U.S. |
| Mendon and Waltham 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 |
$5,714Highest 83% above U.S. |
$5,342 71% above U.S. |
$3,982 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
88.6%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.8%±10.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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% |
5.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
52.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1949 31 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 36% below U.S. |
17 min 38% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mendon and Waltham 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 | — | — | — |
| 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 |
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.