What stands out worked out from the figures below

Batavia has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).

Olean has the most people working from home (8.4%).

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	Batavia	Olean
People
Population	15,097Highest	13,738Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.9±2.1Highest 8% above NY	39±2.6Lowest about the NY average
	Batavia and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.3%±2Lowest NY: 20.5%	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	20.8%±2.1Highest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9%
	Batavia and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.5%Lowest NY: 40.2%	29.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.2%±1Lowest NY: 7%	3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7%
	Olean and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,446±$6kHighest 31% below NY	$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY
	Batavia and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$148,900±$7kHighest 65% below NY	$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$925±$35Highest 43% below NY	$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,326Highest 49% below NY	$3,130Lowest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.9%±7.3Lowest NY: 52.1%	52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Olean and Batavia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	14.2%Lowest NY: 14%	26.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	52.7%Lowest NY: 54.3%	55.1%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Highest 15 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 35% below NY	14 minLowest 56% below NY
Work from home	5%±1.7Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%
	Olean and Batavia 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	#254 of 484 in NY	#337 of 484 in NY
School district	BATAVIA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Lowest	12.2Highest
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.