Compare towns
Ellery vs Olean vs Chautauqua
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.6%).
Chautauqua has the most people working from home (13.1%).
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 | Chautauqua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,073 |
13,738Highest |
3,965Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-10.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 56.1±4.5Highest 41% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
46.3±4 16% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±4 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Chautauqua 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% |
24.5%±4.4 NY: 17.9% |
| Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Highest NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
38.7% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
| Ellery and Chautauqua 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 |
$68,795±$18k 20% below NY |
| Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,900±$29kHighest 44% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$189,300±$18k 55% below NY |
| Ellery and Chautauqua are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $845±$189Highest 48% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$670±$64Lowest 59% below NY |
| Ellery and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,796Highest 42% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,755Lowest 58% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±16.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
38.6%±9.4 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Chautauqua 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% |
18.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
80.8% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Highest 8 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1963 4 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 29% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
22 min 32% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.5%±2.4Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
13.1%±4.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Chautauqua 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 | #241 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #129 of 484 in NY |
| School district | BEMUS POINT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHAUTAUQUA LAKE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | MAPLE GROVE JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | CHAUTAUQUA LAKE SECONDARY SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
12.2Highest |
8.4 |
| 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.