Compare towns
Hancock vs Olean vs Olean vs Margaretville
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 (47.3% rent).
Olean has the highest household income ($75k).
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Margaretville has the most people working from home (31.2%).
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 | Margaretville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 745 |
1,664 |
13,738Highest |
617Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.9% NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-13.8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 52.5±8.7 32% above NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
50.3±14.3 26% above NY |
| Olean and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13%±5.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
13.3%±6.5 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
27.1%±6.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Margaretville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20.8% NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
13.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±3.8Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
1.5%±3.6Lowest NY: 7% |
| Hancock and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $51,765±$9k 40% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$39,201±$21kLowest 54% 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 | $150,000±$34k 65% below NY |
$158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$209,900±$30kHighest 50% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $958±$181 41% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$995±$964Highest 39% below NY |
| Margaretville and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,756 43% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$3,130Lowest 52% below NY |
$3,567 46% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.7%±22.1Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
53.5%±35 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 | 16.6% NY: 14% |
16.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
24.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1% NY: 54.3% |
58% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1962Highest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1955 4 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 25% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
25 minHighest 23% below NY |
| Work from home | 7.5%±7.5 NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
31.2%±29.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Margaretville 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 | — | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | — | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.