Compare towns
Olean vs Pownal 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 most affordable homes ($159k median).
Pownal has the most expensive homes ($257k median).
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 | Pownal | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664Lowest |
3,265Highest |
2,074 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5 38% above U.S. |
49±9.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
54.1±3Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Hadley and Olean 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% |
16.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Pownal and Olean 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% |
27.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal 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% |
28.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Hadley 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. |
$64,163±$21kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$73,750±$32k 9% below U.S. |
| Olean and Hadley 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. |
$256,600±$32kHighest 23% below U.S. |
$194,200±$30k 42% below U.S. |
| Pownal and Hadley 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. |
$944±$139Highest 33% below U.S. |
$900±$293 36% below U.S. |
| Pownal and Hadley 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. |
$3,560 14% above U.S. |
$2,375Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±18.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Pownal 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% |
8.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Highest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
21 min 20% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.2%±23.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hadley and Pownal 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — |
| 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.


