Compare towns
Chester vs Olean vs Wright vs Brandon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chester has the most people working from home (14%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Wright has the highest household income ($86k).
Brandon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.1%).
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 | Chester | Olean | Wright | Brandon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,992 |
1,664Lowest |
1,739 |
4,120Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±4.7Lowest 28% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
50.1±3.1 29% above U.S. |
| Olean and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brandon and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.8%±7.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chester and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chester and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,125±$8kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$86,250±$13kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$64,180±$12k 21% below U.S. |
| Wright and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $232,900±$44k 30% below U.S. |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$242,000±$36kHighest 27% below U.S. |
$227,800±$23k 32% below U.S. |
| Wright and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $960±$44 32% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$953±$79 33% below U.S. |
$1,064±$225Highest 25% below U.S. |
| Brandon and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,262 37% above U.S. |
$4,027Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$5,279Highest 69% above U.S. |
$4,241 36% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±12.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.6%±16.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Brandon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Chester and Brandon 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 | #49 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | — | #69 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 |
| High school in town | Green Mountain Union High School | — | — | Otter Valley Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.7Lowest |
— | — | 9.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.