Compare towns
Olean vs Olean vs Rochester vs Esperance
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 oldest population (median age 53.8).
Olean has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
Esperance has the highest household income ($76k).
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 | Olean | Rochester | Esperance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,664 |
13,738Highest |
1,389Lowest |
1,794 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
51.9±5 33% above U.S. |
| Olean and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rochester and Olean 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% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Esperance 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. |
$51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$72,676±$8k 10% below U.S. |
$76,058±$11kHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Esperance 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±$17k 52% below U.S. |
$86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$253,600±$81kHighest 24% below U.S. |
$196,200±$45k 41% below U.S. |
| Rochester and Esperance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$929±$158 34% below U.S. |
$1,075±$470Highest 24% below U.S. |
| Esperance and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027Highest 29% above U.S. |
$3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
$4,005 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.8%±15.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1957 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.2%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Esperance 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 | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — |
| School district | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 | — |
| High school in town | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— | — |
| 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.