Compare towns

Brookline vs Marshfield vs Olean

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has the most expensive homes ($291k median).
Marshfield has the highest household income ($84k).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).

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.

MeasureBrooklineMarshfieldOlean
People
Population
531
470Lowest
13,738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+1.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
—
-3.6%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.1±2.7Highest
16% above U.S.
42.4±8.8
9% above U.S.
39±2.6Lowest
about the U.S. average
Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20%±6
U.S.: 22%
19.4%±9.1Lowest
U.S.: 22%
23.5%±2.9Highest
U.S.: 22%
Olean and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
19.6%±4.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
10.2%±4.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
19.1%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
Brookline and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.1%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
35.7%
U.S.: 35.7%
29.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.2%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±2.4Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.6%±1.1Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$80,833±$16k
about the U.S. average
$84,375±$20kHighest
5% above U.S.
$51,261±$7kLowest
37% below U.S.
Marshfield and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$290,700±$37kHighest
13% below U.S.
$178,300±$31k
46% below U.S.
$86,100±$6kLowest
74% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,732±$232Highest
23% above U.S.
$1,125±$79
20% below U.S.
$794±$52Lowest
44% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,000Highest
60% above U.S.
$3,269
5% above U.S.
$3,130Lowest
about the U.S. average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
47.8%±94.7Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.4%±62.4Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
52%±9.1
U.S.: 51.1%
Marshfield and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.9%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
26.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.9%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
81.2%
U.S.: 65.2%
55.1%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Highest
5 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
8% above U.S.
29 minHighest
11% above U.S.
14 minLowest
45% below U.S.
Work from home
20.6%±5.2Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.5%±7.2
U.S.: 15.1%
8.4%±2.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Brookline and Marshfield 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
High school in town — — OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
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.