Compare towns
Olean vs Pawlet vs Whitingham
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).
Pawlet has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Whitingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1%).
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 | Pawlet | Whitingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664Highest |
1,480 |
1,368Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
46.4±7.1Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Olean and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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% |
27.3%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Whitingham and Pawlet 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% |
37.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pawlet 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±$20kHighest 8% below U.S. |
$62,273±$14kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$70,625±$11k 13% below U.S. |
| Olean and Whitingham 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. |
$266,200±$44kHighest 20% below U.S. |
$262,300±$30k 21% below U.S. |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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. |
$1,153±$215Highest 18% below U.S. |
$673±$150 52% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027 29% above U.S. |
$3,924Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,055Highest 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±21.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.7%±47.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Whitingham 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% |
10%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pawlet and Whitingham 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 | — | Mettawee School District #84 | Twin Valley Unified School District #75 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Twin Valley Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.8 |
| 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.