Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Herkimer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Herkimer has the most people working from home (8.4%).
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 | Herkimer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,664Lowest |
1,739 |
7,566Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-6.6%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
51.4±4.7 29% above NY |
45.4±3.4Lowest 14% above NY |
| Olean and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5 NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1Highest NY: 20.5% |
14.6%±3.8Lowest NY: 20.5% |
| Wright and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
20.7%±3.6Lowest NY: 17.9% |
| Olean and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.3% NY: 40.2% |
24.4%Highest NY: 40.2% |
15.9%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
8.4%±2.2Highest NY: 7% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,583±$20k 13% below NY |
$86,250±$13kHighest about the NY average |
$48,529±$16kLowest 44% below NY |
| Wright and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $158,600±$17k 63% below NY |
$242,000±$36kHighest 43% below NY |
$133,200±$29kLowest 69% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$953±$79Highest 41% below NY |
$821±$82 49% below NY |
| Wright and Herkimer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027 39% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
$3,607Lowest 45% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
48.7%±16.7 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Herkimer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.3% NY: 14% |
7%Lowest NY: 14% |
26.4%Highest NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% NY: 54.3% |
80.6%Highest NY: 54.3% |
52.6%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 3 yrs newer than NY |
1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 43% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
20 min 38% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7Lowest NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±6.8Highest NY: 14.9% |
| Herkimer 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 | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.