Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Olean vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bakersfield has the most people working from home (14.2%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Bakersfield | Olean | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Lowest |
13,738Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.3±2.7 9% above U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bakersfield and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bakersfield and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18k 3% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$87,019±$22kHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Fairfield and Bakersfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19k 18% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$320,600±$22kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Highest 15% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823 23% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bakersfield and Olean 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 | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school in town | None 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.