Compare towns
Hancock vs Olean vs Olean vs Palatine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($161k median).
Olean has the highest household income ($75k).
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Palatine has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.6%).
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 | Hancock | Olean | Olean | Palatine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,769 |
1,664Lowest |
13,738Highest |
3,200 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-1.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 54.3±5.7Highest 36% above NY |
53.8±5.5 35% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
53.1±5.4 33% above NY |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.6Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.8%±5 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Palatine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
30.2%±5.4Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Palatine 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% NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
21.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1Highest NY: 7% |
1.5%±1Lowest NY: 7% |
| Olean and Hancock 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 28% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$69,722±$12k 19% below NY |
| Olean and Palatine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,100±$8kHighest 62% below NY |
$158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$142,500±$38k 66% below NY |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,052±$172Highest 35% below NY |
$666±$334 59% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$633±$134Lowest 61% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,584Lowest 61% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$3,232 51% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
48.2%±23.8Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13%Lowest NY: 14% |
16.3% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
13.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4% NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
73.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960 1 yr newer than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1973Highest 14 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 8% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
25 min 24% below NY |
| Work from home | 7%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
9.7%±5.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Palatine 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 | #471 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | HANCOCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | HANCOCK JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
— | 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.