Compare towns
Middlebury vs Olean vs Olean vs Cambridge
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 the most people working from home (18.8%).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% 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 | Olean | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,175 |
1,664Lowest |
13,738Highest |
3,767 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 31.8±3.7Lowest 18% below U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
39±2.6 about the U.S. average |
37.4±1.8 4% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Olean and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 32.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,169±$16kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$72,344±$19k 10% below U.S. |
| Middlebury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,700±$30kHighest 23% above U.S. |
$158,600±$17k 52% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$343,000±$38k 3% above U.S. |
| Middlebury and Cambridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,156±$113 18% below U.S. |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,183±$66Highest 16% below U.S. |
| Cambridge and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,868Highest 120% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$4,910 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±14.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.6%±7.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cambridge and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 16 min 41% below U.S. |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #17 of 70 in VT | #337 of 484 in NY | #337 of 484 in NY | #25 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Cambridge School District |
| High school in town | Middlebury Union High School | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.6Highest |
— | 12.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.