What stands out worked out from the figures below

Caroga has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).

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	Caroga	Olean
People
Population	983Lowest	13,738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.9%Highest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Lowest NY: +4.2%
Median age	55.4±5.3Highest 39% above NY	39±2.6Lowest about the NY average
Kids under 18	10.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5%	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
Age 65+	29.2%±6.8Highest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	16.3%Lowest NY: 40.2%	29.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.7%±1.4Lowest NY: 7%	3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7%
	Olean and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$65,395±$18kHighest 24% below NY	$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY
	Caroga and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$172,300±$25kHighest 59% below NY	$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$794±$52 51% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,547Lowest 61% below NY	$3,130Highest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±100Lowest NY: 52.1%	52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1%
	Olean and Caroga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest NY: 14%	26.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.3%Highest NY: 54.3%	55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1948Highest 11 yrs older than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest about the NY average	14 minLowest 56% below NY
Work from home	3.6%±3Lowest NY: 14.9%	8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9%
	Olean and Caroga 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	WHEELERVILLE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	None in town	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.2
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.