Compare towns
Catharine vs Olean vs Gainesville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Catharine has the most expensive homes ($145k median).
Olean has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.6%).
Gainesville has the most homeowners (77.1%).
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 | Catharine | Olean | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,370Lowest |
13,738Highest |
1,839 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-7.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 47.4±6.5 19% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
47.7±2.7Highest 20% above NY |
| Gainesville and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.8%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.3 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
22.9%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Gainesville and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
19.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
2.6%±2.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $58,500±$15kHighest 32% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$56,250±$12k 35% below NY |
| Catharine and Gainesville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $144,900±$11kHighest 66% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$117,500±$15k 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $854±$117Highest 47% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$738±$435Lowest 54% below NY |
| Catharine and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,675Lowest 59% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$3,256Highest 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.5%±19.2Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
38.5%±18.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Catharine and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.7% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
11.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Highest 6 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1942 17 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 23% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
21 min 35% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.7%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Olean and Catharine 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 | ODESSA-MONTOUR CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LETCHWORTH CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | ODESSA-MONTOUR JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | LETCHWORTH SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.2Highest |
9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.