Compare towns
Copake vs Ellery vs Olean vs Taghkanic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Copake has the highest household income ($114k).
Ellery has the most homeowners (89.5%).
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Taghkanic has the most people working from home (28.6%).
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 | Copake | Ellery | Olean | Taghkanic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,313 |
4,073 |
13,738Highest |
1,283Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.4% NY: +4.2% |
-9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 59.3±3Highest 49% above NY |
56.1±4.5 41% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
55.6±3.1 40% above NY |
| Copake and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
14.3%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
13.8%±3.2 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 32.4%±7.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
30.8%±6.6 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
32.2%±4.2 NY: 17.9% |
| Copake and Taghkanic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37% NY: 40.2% |
40% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
44.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.5%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
3.2%±2.1 NY: 7% |
| Ellery and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,611±$40kHighest 32% above NY |
$86,833±$12k about the NY average |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$86,250±$16k about the NY average |
| Copake and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,000±$49k 23% below NY |
$235,900±$29k 44% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$442,400±$39kHighest 4% above NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,204±$546Highest 26% below NY |
$845±$189 48% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$1,148±$609 29% below NY |
| Copake and Taghkanic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,630 45% below NY |
$3,796 42% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$6,121Highest 7% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.5%±42.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
35.9%±16.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
37.3%±37 NY: 52.1% |
| Copake and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.5% NY: 14% |
9.2% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
5.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.8% NY: 54.3% |
89.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
84.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 11 yrs newer than NY |
1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1975Highest 16 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 3% below NY |
23 min 29% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
25 min 22% below NY |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.9 NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
28.6%±8.9Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Taghkanic and Copake 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 | #302 of 484 in NY | #241 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | TACONIC HILLS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | TACONIC HILLSJUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.8 |
7.6Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.