Compare towns
Day vs Olean vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Day has the most people working from home (7.4%).
Olean has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.3%).
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 | Day | Olean | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 843 |
1,664Highest |
671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
+1.3%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 61.4±2.4Highest 54% above NY |
53.8±5.5Lowest 35% above NY |
59.8±3.5 50% above NY |
| Day and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 7.8%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.8%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.6%±5.8Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
28.9%±7.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Day and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
19.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest NY: 7% |
| Day and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $57,727±$16kLowest 33% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$74,286±$31k 14% below NY |
| Olean and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $224,400±$49k 47% below NY |
$158,600±$17kLowest 63% below NY |
$268,600±$45kHighest 37% below NY |
| Wells and Day are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $666±$334 59% below NY |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,765 58% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$2,588Lowest 61% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 NY: 52.1% |
30%±100Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Day and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.2% NY: 14% |
16.3%Highest NY: 14% |
4.6%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.3% NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.7%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY |
1962Lowest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 min 16% above NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
43 minHighest 32% above NY |
| Work from home | 7.4%±4.2Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
3.6%±2.5Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Day and Olean 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 | — |
| 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.

