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
Olean has the most people working from home (8.4%).
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 | 10,238Lowest |
13,738Highest |
12,549 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
+1.4%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 42.6±4.7 7% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
43.7±3.1Highest 10% above NY |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.4Lowest NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
20%±2.8 NY: 20.5% |
| Olean and Dunkirk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±3.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.3Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Massena and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
16.4%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.4Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.3%±1.5Highest NY: 7% |
| Dunkirk and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,458±$7k 40% below NY |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$53,299±$6kHighest 38% below NY |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $94,400±$15k 78% below NY |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$94,700±$6kHighest 78% below NY |
| Dunkirk and Massena are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $722±$44Lowest 55% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$866±$81Highest 47% below NY |
| Dunkirk and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,218Highest 51% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,352Lowest 64% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.8%±11.4Highest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 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%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
24.3%Lowest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.4% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
58.5%Highest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Highest 5 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1941 18 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 45% below NY |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
19 minHighest 42% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.2%±2.6 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6Highest 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 | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | DUNKIRK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | DUNKIRK SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.