Compare towns
Hancock vs Cavendish vs Olean vs Scott
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most renters (23.6% rent).
Cavendish has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Scott has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Hancock | Cavendish | Olean | Scott |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,769Highest |
1,242 |
1,664 |
434Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-18.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±5.7 40% above U.S. |
45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5 38% above U.S. |
55.5±9.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Scott and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
7.6%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cavendish and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.6%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.8%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Scott and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±4.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cavendish and Scott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,243±$11k 23% below U.S. |
$89,063±$29kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$60,795±$13kLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Cavendish and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,100±$8k 52% below U.S. |
$285,100±$40kHighest 14% below U.S. |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$229,500±$88k 31% below U.S. |
| Cavendish and Scott are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,052±$172Highest 26% below U.S. |
$1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$775±$371 45% below U.S. |
| Hancock and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,584Lowest 17% below U.S. |
$3,948 27% above U.S. |
$4,027Highest 29% above U.S. |
$2,682 14% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.9%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1968 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #471 of 484 in NY | — | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | HANCOCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | — | — |
| High school in town | HANCOCK JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 18 photos → | None yet | None yet |
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.