Compare towns
Hector vs Olean vs Riga vs Catharine
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hector has the most people working from home (13.6%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Riga has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.1%).
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 | Hector | Olean | Riga | Catharine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,850 |
13,738Highest |
5,534 |
1,370Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-0.1%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.3%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 51.1±4Highest 28% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
48.2±6.6 21% above NY |
47.4±6.5 19% above NY |
| Hector and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.9%±4.6 NY: 20.5% |
18.1%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25%±5Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
21.6%±3.6 NY: 17.9% |
21.7%±2.3 NY: 17.9% |
| Hector and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% NY: 40.2% |
29.9% NY: 40.2% |
42.5%Highest NY: 40.2% |
18.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.8%±1.8Highest NY: 7% |
3.3%±1.7 NY: 7% |
| Riga and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,904±$19k 7% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$100,750±$10kHighest 17% above NY |
$58,500±$15k 32% below NY |
| Riga and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,700±$32k 48% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$227,600±$12kHighest 46% below NY |
$144,900±$11k 66% below NY |
| Riga and Hector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,083±$525Highest 33% below NY |
$794±$52Lowest 51% below NY |
$907±$273 44% below NY |
$854±$117 47% below NY |
| Hector and Riga are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,072 38% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$4,622Highest 30% below NY |
$2,675Lowest 59% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 81.7%±21.3Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1Lowest NY: 52.1% |
56.7%±19.8 NY: 52.1% |
60.5%±19.2 NY: 52.1% |
| Hector and Catharine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.6% NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
3.2%Lowest NY: 14% |
20.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
87.1% NY: 54.3% |
75.1% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 20 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1977 18 yrs newer than NY |
1953 6 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 18% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
24 min 27% below NY |
25 min 23% below NY |
| Work from home | 13.6%±4.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
10.7%±3.4 NY: 14.9% |
7.7%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Hector and Riga 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 | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #96 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | CHURCHVILLE-CHILI CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | ODESSA-MONTOUR CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | CHURCHVILLE-CHILI SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | ODESSA-MONTOUR JUNIOR/SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.4 |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.