Compare towns
Middlebury vs Olean vs Strafford vs Cornwall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Strafford has the oldest population (median age 51.4).
Cornwall has the most people working from home (24.4%).
Middlebury is a college town. 40.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Middlebury | Olean | Strafford | Cornwall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,220 |
13,738Highest |
1,372 |
1,208Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 23.7±1.3Lowest 39% below U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 40.9%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,250±$18k 7% above U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$114,583±$32kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $417,400±$31k 25% above U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$458,000±$49kHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Cornwall and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,201±$120Highest 15% below U.S. |
$794±$52Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,795 118% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$6,726 116% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±15.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±65.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 45% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cornwall and Middlebury 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 | #17 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Strafford School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.