Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Fairlee
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).
Wright has the highest household income ($86k).
Fairlee has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.1%).
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 | Wright | Fairlee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664 |
1,739Highest |
1,066Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
56.2±8.7Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Fairlee 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% |
16.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wright and Olean 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% |
21.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fairlee 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% |
24.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Fairlee 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±$20kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$86,250±$13kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$74,760±$10k 7% below U.S. |
| Wright and Fairlee 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. |
$242,000±$36k 27% below U.S. |
$274,200±$39kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Wright 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. |
$953±$79 33% below U.S. |
$1,083±$242Highest 23% below U.S. |
| Fairlee and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027Lowest 29% above U.S. |
$5,279 69% above U.S. |
$5,617Highest 80% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
89.2%±71.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fairlee 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% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15%±7.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Fairlee and Wright 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 | — | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| 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.