Compare towns
Olean vs Fairlee vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
Hadley has the most people working from home (24.2%).
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 | Olean | Fairlee | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664 |
1,066Lowest |
2,074Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Lowest 38% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
54.1±3 39% above U.S. |
| Fairlee and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3 U.S.: 22% |
| Olean and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$74,760±$10kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$73,750±$32kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $158,600±$17kLowest 52% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39kHighest 18% below U.S. |
$194,200±$30k 42% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
$900±$293 36% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027 29% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hadley and Fairlee 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Rivendell Interstate School District | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.