Compare towns
Ellington vs Olean vs Gerry vs Smyrna
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Gerry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Smyrna has the most people working from home (9.5%).
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 | Ellington | Olean | Gerry | Smyrna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,554 |
13,738Highest |
1,668 |
1,392Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-6.5% NY: +4.2% |
-3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.1±4.8 6% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
52.4±5.7Highest 32% above NY |
43.4±7.4 9% above NY |
| Gerry and Smyrna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.1%±4.2 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9 NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
26.3%±5.7Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Smyrna and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±2.7 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5 NY: 17.9% |
29.9%±3.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.8%±5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 12.1% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
23.4% NY: 40.2% |
9.6%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.7 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
3.4%±2.3 NY: 7% |
1.2%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Gerry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,000±$15k 24% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$68,667±$12kHighest 20% below NY |
$59,408±$10k 31% below NY |
| Gerry and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $114,300±$13k 73% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$119,200±$10kHighest 72% below NY |
$89,500±$10k 79% below NY |
| Gerry and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $681±$342Lowest 58% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$1,138±$260Highest 30% below NY |
$888±$384 45% below NY |
| Gerry and Smyrna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,472 62% below NY |
$3,130Highest 52% below NY |
$2,606 60% below NY |
$2,056Lowest 69% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
61.2%±16.1 NY: 52.1% |
67.7%±84.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Ellington and Smyrna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
9%Lowest NY: 14% |
14.3% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
75.2% NY: 54.3% |
88.8%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 18 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1976 17 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 24% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
27 minHighest 17% below NY |
22 min 33% below NY |
| Work from home | 6.6%±5.5 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
6.2%±4.2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
9.5%±5.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Smyrna 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
8.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.