Compare towns
Hancock vs Tompkins vs Olean
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 renters (23.6% rent).
Tompkins has the most people working from home (23.5%).
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 | Tompkins | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,769Highest |
1,187Lowest |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -14.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
+3.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 54.3±5.7 36% above NY |
57.6±5.8Highest 45% above NY |
53.8±5.5Lowest 35% above NY |
| Tompkins 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 NY: 20.5% |
8.8%±1.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Hancock 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% |
30.6%±4.9Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Tompkins 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% |
18.8%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.3%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.6 NY: 7% |
3.9%±2Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
| Tompkins 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 |
$61,103±$27kLowest 29% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
| Olean and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $161,100±$8k 62% below NY |
$185,700±$23kHighest 56% below NY |
$158,600±$17kLowest 63% below NY |
| Tompkins and Hancock 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 |
$483±$80Lowest 70% below NY |
$666±$334 59% below NY |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,584 61% below NY |
$2,487Lowest 62% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±13.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
0%±73.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 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% NY: 14% |
8.8%Lowest NY: 14% |
16.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
91.1%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.9% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY |
1992Highest 33 yrs newer than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 8% below NY |
70 minHighest 115% above NY |
19 minLowest 43% below NY |
| Work from home | 7%±4.3 NY: 14.9% |
23.5%±13.3Highest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Tompkins and Hancock 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 |
| School district | HANCOCK CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | — |
| High school in town | HANCOCK JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.