Compare towns
Hancock vs Strafford vs Olean
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).
Strafford has the most expensive homes ($431k median).
Olean has the shortest commute (19 min average).
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 | Strafford | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.3±5.7Highest 40% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5 38% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hancock and Olean 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% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Strafford 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±$11kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
| Strafford 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. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,052±$172 26% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Highest 20% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Strafford and Hancock 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 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% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest 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 | Strafford School District | — |
| 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 | 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.