Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Olean vs Portville
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 oldest population (median age 53.8).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Olean has the most people working from home (8.4%).
Portville has the most homeowners (89.9%).
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 | Olean | Portville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,664Lowest |
1,739 |
13,738Highest |
3,442 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% NY: +4.2% |
-1.5%Highest NY: +4.2% |
-3.6% NY: +4.2% |
-6.1%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 35% above NY |
51.4±4.7 29% above NY |
39±2.6Lowest about the NY average |
52.2±4.1 31% above NY |
| Olean and Portville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5% |
16.7%±3.1 NY: 20.5% |
23.5%±2.9Highest NY: 20.5% |
15.7%±3.8 NY: 20.5% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±5.1 NY: 17.9% |
21.4%±1.9 NY: 17.9% |
19.1%±2.5Lowest NY: 17.9% |
27.4%±6.3Highest NY: 17.9% |
| Portville 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 NY: 40.2% |
24.4% NY: 40.2% |
29.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
24.8% NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5 NY: 7% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest NY: 7% |
3.6%±1.1 NY: 7% |
4.4%±3.3Highest NY: 7% |
| Portville 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±$20k 13% below NY |
$86,250±$13kHighest about the NY average |
$51,261±$7kLowest 40% below NY |
$66,250±$17k 23% 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 |
$86,100±$6kLowest 80% below NY |
$118,600±$18k 72% below NY |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334Lowest 59% below NY |
$953±$79Highest 41% below NY |
$794±$52 51% below NY |
$774±$150 52% below NY |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,027 39% below NY |
$5,279Highest 20% below NY |
$3,130 52% below NY |
$2,928Lowest 56% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5Highest NY: 52.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest NY: 52.1% |
52%±9.1 NY: 52.1% |
41.7%±22.6 NY: 52.1% |
| Olean and Olean 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% |
26.7%Highest NY: 14% |
10.4% NY: 14% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% NY: 54.3% |
80.6% NY: 54.3% |
55.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
89.9%Highest 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 |
1960 1 yr newer than NY |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 43% below NY |
33 minHighest about the NY average |
14 minLowest 56% below NY |
21 min 37% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7 NY: 14.9% |
5.9%±2.8 NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±2.6Highest NY: 14.9% |
4.6%±2.6Lowest NY: 14.9% |
| Olean 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 | — | #337 of 484 in NY | #115 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | PORTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | PORTVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.