Compare towns
Massena vs Olean vs Dunkirk
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Massena has the most renters (44.6% rent).
Olean has the most expensive homes ($159k median).
Dunkirk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).
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 | Massena | Olean | Dunkirk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,238 |
1,664Lowest |
12,549Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.2% NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.6±4.7Lowest 7% above NY |
53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
43.7±3.1 10% above NY |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.4 NY: 20.5% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
20%±2.8Highest NY: 20.5% |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.3 NY: 17.9% |
25.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Olean and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Highest NY: 40.2% |
23.3% NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.4 NY: 7% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,458±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$74,583±$20kHighest 13% below NY |
$53,299±$6k 38% below NY |
| Olean and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $94,400±$15kLowest 78% below NY |
$158,600±$17kHighest 63% below NY |
$94,700±$6k 78% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $722±$44 55% below NY |
$666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$866±$81Highest 47% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,218 51% below NY |
$4,027Highest 39% below NY |
$2,352Lowest 64% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
57.1%±25.5 NY: 52.1% |
46.6%±7.7Lowest NY: 52.1% |
| Massena and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 24.3%Highest NY: 14% |
16.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
24.3%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.4%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
77.9%Highest NY: 54.3% |
58.5% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 5 yrs older than NY |
1962Highest 3 yrs newer than NY |
1941Lowest 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 45% below NY |
19 min 43% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
5.8%±4.7Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.5%±2Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Olean and Massena 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 | #465 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.7 |
| 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.