Compare towns
Olean vs Sharon vs Reading 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).
Sharon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.9%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
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 | Sharon | Reading | Gerry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,664 |
1,577 |
699Lowest |
1,668Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6 31% 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%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Sharon and Gerry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Gerry and Reading 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% |
37.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5 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. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
$85,000±$19kHighest 5% above U.S. |
$68,667±$12kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon 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. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$119,200±$10kLowest 64% below U.S. |
| Reading and Sharon 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. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,100±$331 22% below U.S. |
$1,138±$260 19% below U.S. |
| Sharon and Gerry 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. |
$5,903Highest 89% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$2,606Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7Highest 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% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Sharon 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 | — | Sharon School District | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | 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.