Compare towns
Athens vs Olean vs Whiting
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athens has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Whiting has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Athens | Olean | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 431Lowest |
13,738Highest |
532 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 47.3±6.5Highest 22% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
| Athens and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Athens and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,438±$30k 15% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,400±$32k 28% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$537 20% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Athens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,438Highest 74% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,227 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±39Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Athens and Whiting 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 | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.