What it's like to live in Johnson City
Johnson City is a small city in New York with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Johnson City deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a population that has been shrinking, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
How Johnson City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Johnson City
Based on Johnson City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,062
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $41,240 a year
- 56% of Johnson City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$23,420
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,710
- Homes cost 2.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 27% below US
$1,031/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,031 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $117,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $117,100 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.2% county unemployment
Unemployment in Broome County is 4.2%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Broome County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 27% above US
418 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 4975/100k · Johnson City Village Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 37% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 16.5 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 76°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 18°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 18% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 30%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Steamtown National Historic Site (52 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Johnson City's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,031/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Johnson City
All New York guides →Moving to Binghamton →
3 mi away · pop. 47,151
Rent $870/mo · Income $45,578
Compare with Johnson City →Moving to Cortland →
35 mi away · pop. 17,450
Rent $975/mo · Income $59,482
Compare with Johnson City →Not sure Johnson City is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.