Compare towns
Ellery vs Olean vs Bemus Point vs Hector
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellery has the highest household income ($87k).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Bemus Point has the most expensive homes ($386k median).
Hector has the most people working from home (13.6%).
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 | Ellery | Olean | Bemus Point | Hector |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,073 |
13,738Highest |
191Lowest |
4,850 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
— | -0.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 56.1±4.5 41% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
59.1±5.3Highest 48% above NY |
51.1±4 28% above NY |
| Bemus Point and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
5.8%±16.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
18%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.8%±6.6Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
26.2%±15.9 NY: 17.9% |
25%±5 NY: 17.9% |
| Ellery and Bemus Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
53.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
36.9% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
7.3%±9.3Highest NY: 7% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Bemus Point and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,833±$12kHighest about the NY average |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$86,250±$23k about the NY average |
$79,904±$19k 7% below NY |
| Ellery and Bemus Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,900±$29k 44% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$386,400±$103kHighest 9% below NY |
$218,700±$32k 48% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $845±$189 48% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$688±$181Lowest 58% below NY |
$1,083±$525Highest 33% below NY |
| Hector and Ellery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,796 42% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$6,750Highest about the NY average |
$4,072 38% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±16.8 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
26.1%±100Lowest NY: 52.1% |
81.7%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
| Hector and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
11% NY: 14% |
15.6% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
73% NY: 54.3% |
91.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 29% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
15 min 53% below NY |
27 minHighest 18% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
10.3%±11.8 NY: 14.9% |
13.6%±4.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Hector and Bemus Point 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 | #241 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 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.