Compare towns
Vestal 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
Vestal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Johnson City has the oldest population (median age 40.7).
Vestal is a college town. 33.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Vestal | Johnson City |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 30,978Highest |
14,940Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
+1.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 26.3±2.7Lowest 34% below NY |
40.7±3.4Highest about the NY average |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.2Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±2.6Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Johnson City and Vestal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.7Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.4%±2.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.1%±2Highest NY: 7% |
9%±2.2Lowest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $83,012±$8kHighest 3% below NY |
$56,283±$4kLowest 35% below NY |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $193,500±$9kHighest 54% below NY |
$117,100±$4kLowest 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,199±$59Highest 26% below NY |
$1,031±$66Lowest 36% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,907Highest 25% below NY |
$3,982Lowest 40% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±9.2 NY: 52.1% |
57.8%±10.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
19.6%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.3%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Highest 9 yrs newer than NY |
1949Lowest 10 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minHighest 42% below NY |
17 minLowest 49% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3Highest NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Vestal 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 | #218 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | VESTAL CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | VESTAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.