What stands out worked out from the figures below

Duanesburg has the most expensive homes ($295k median).

Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Duanesburg	Olean
People
Population	6,083Lowest	13,738Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.2%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	42.9±4.1Highest 8% above NY	39±2.6Lowest about the NY average
	Duanesburg and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.8%±5.7Lowest NY: 20.5%	23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5%
	Olean and Duanesburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.6%±2.9Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±2.5Highest NY: 17.9%
	Olean and Duanesburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Highest NY: 40.2%	29.9%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.9%±6Highest NY: 7%	3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7%
	Duanesburg and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,378±$35kHighest 11% above NY	$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,100±$30kHighest 30% below NY	$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$794±$52 51% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,716Highest 28% below NY	$3,130Lowest 52% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	74.5%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Duanesburg and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.8%Lowest NY: 14%	26.7%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 8% below NY	14 minLowest 56% below NY
Work from home	20%±8.5Highest NY: 14.9%	8.4%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#132 of 484 in NY	#337 of 484 in NY
School district	DUANESBURG CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT	OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town	DUANESBURG HIGH SCHOOL	OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Students per teacherat that high school	8.4Lowest	12.2Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.