Compare towns
Dover vs Olean vs Rochester vs Marlboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Marlboro has the youngest population (median age 22.7).
Marlboro is a college town. 42.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Dover | Olean | Rochester | Marlboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,466 |
1,664Highest |
1,389 |
1,362Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+59.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.5±8.3 38% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
22.7±2.1Lowest 42% below U.S. |
| Olean and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Marlboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.5%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
42.7%±4.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$77,135±$10kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Marlboro and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
$357,300±$55kHighest 7% above U.S. |
| Marlboro and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $670±$49 53% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,600±$824Highest 13% above U.S. |
| Marlboro and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,510 45% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
$3,977Lowest 28% above U.S. |
$5,640Highest 81% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.1%±43.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.2%±11.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±11.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Marlboro 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 | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | — | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | Marlboro School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.