Compare towns
Lake Luzerne vs Olean vs Olean vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lake Luzerne has the most expensive homes ($223k median).
Olean has the highest household income ($75k).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Hadley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.4%).
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 | Lake Luzerne | Olean | Olean | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,080 |
1,664 |
13,738Highest |
1,170Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+11.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 52.5±11.7 32% above NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
48.7±9.3 22% above NY |
| Olean and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.1 NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
17.9%±3.6 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±7.2Highest NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
25.4%±5.7 NY: 17.9% |
| Lake Luzerne and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25% NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±2.6Highest NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
3.8%±3.2 NY: 7% |
| Lake Luzerne and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $46,633±$7kLowest 46% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$51,261±$7k 40% below NY |
$65,875±$21k 23% below NY |
| Olean and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,800±$11kHighest 47% below NY |
$158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$181,400±$21k 57% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $951±$48 41% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$990±$265Highest 39% below NY |
| Hadley and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,677 59% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$1,894Lowest 71% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.1%±76.1 NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
42.9%±21.9Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Lake Luzerne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 33.4%Highest NY: 14% |
16.3% NY: 14% |
26.7% NY: 14% |
9.9%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
77.9% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
74.6% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 8 yrs newer than NY |
1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1974Highest 15 yrs newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 21% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
31 minHighest 5% below NY |
| Work from home | 4.4%±2.8Lowest NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
9.1%±4.5Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Hadley 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 | #336 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | — |
| School district | HADLEY-LUZERNE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| High school in town | HADLEY-LUZERNE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.4Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.