Compare towns
Olean vs Reading vs West Fairlee vs Gerry
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).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
West Fairlee has the most homeowners (91.9%).
Gerry has the most affordable homes ($119k median).
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 | Reading | West Fairlee | Gerry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,664 |
699Lowest |
711 |
1,668Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% above U.S. |
50.3±7.6Lowest 29% above U.S. |
52.4±5.7 35% above U.S. |
| Olean and Gerry 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gerry and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gerry and West Fairlee 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gerry and Reading 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. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$76,500±$16k 5% below U.S. |
$68,667±$12kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Reading and West Fairlee 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. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$237,200±$35k 29% below U.S. |
$119,200±$10kLowest 64% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,113±$171 21% below U.S. |
$1,138±$260Highest 19% below U.S. |
| Gerry and West Fairlee 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. |
$5,754Highest 84% above U.S. |
$5,210 67% above U.S. |
$2,606Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±89.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.2%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Reading and Gerry 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
28 min 7% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.5%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | — | — |
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Rivendell Interstate School District | CASSADAGA VALLEY CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | CASSADAGA VALLEY MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 8.7 |
| 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.