Compare towns
Hadley vs Olean vs Whiting vs Lake Luzerne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Whiting has the most expensive homes ($280k 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.
| Measure | Hadley | Olean | Whiting | Lake Luzerne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,074 |
13,738Highest |
532Lowest |
3,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±3Highest 39% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
39.6±2.7 about the U.S. average |
52.5±11.7 35% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lake Luzerne and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
25%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lake Luzerne and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,750±$32k 9% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7k 37% below U.S. |
$91,250±$38kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$46,633±$7kLowest 42% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $194,200±$30k 42% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$280,400±$36kHighest 16% below U.S. |
$222,800±$11k 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $900±$293 36% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,204±$519Highest 15% below U.S. |
$951±$48 33% below U.S. |
| Whiting and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
$3,130 about the U.S. average |
$4,227Highest 36% above U.S. |
$2,677 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.3%±37.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.1%±76.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whiting and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
33.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hadley and Whiting 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 | — | #336 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Otter Valley Unified Union School District #53 | HADLEY-LUZERNE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | HADLEY-LUZERNE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
— | 7.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 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.