What stands out worked out from the figures below

Olive has the most people working from home (31.1%).

Binghamton has the most kids (19.1% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Olive	Binghamton
People
Population	4,254Lowest	4,533Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.4%Highest NY: +4.2%	-6.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	49.4±1.5Highest 24% above NY	49.2±5.2Lowest 24% above NY
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.5%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	19.1%±3.2Highest NY: 20.5%
	Binghamton and Olive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.8%±5.7Highest NY: 17.9%	21%±4.1Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%	47.6%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±3.4Highest NY: 7%	3.2%±1.5Lowest NY: 7%
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$114,018±$29kHighest 33% above NY	$105,345±$11kLowest 23% above NY
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$375,100±$33kHighest 11% below NY	$222,300±$31kLowest 48% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,149±$321Highest 33% above NY	$1,632±$336Lowest about the NY average
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,923Lowest 40% below NY	$4,791Highest 27% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.4%±19Highest NY: 52.1%	53%±25.8Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Olive and Binghamton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Lowest NY: 14%	8.2%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.4%Lowest NY: 54.3%	93%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY	1966Lowest 7 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 9% below NY	18 minLowest 44% below NY
Work from home	31.1%±7.9Highest NY: 14.9%	11.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#253 of 484 in NY	#298 of 484 in NY
School district	ONTEORA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	ONTEORA HIGH SCHOOL	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	9.9	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.