Compare towns
Olean vs Wright vs Putney vs Portville
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 oldest population (median age 53.8).
Wright has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.5%).
Putney has the most people working from home (16.9%).
Portville 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 | Wright | Putney | Portville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,664Lowest |
1,739 |
2,622 |
3,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
52.2±4.1 34% above U.S. |
| 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%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Wright and Portville 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%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.4%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8% 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% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
$86,250±$13kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18k about the U.S. average |
$66,250±$17kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Wright and Putney 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. |
$242,000±$36k 27% below U.S. |
$300,000±$44kHighest 10% below U.S. |
$118,600±$18kLowest 64% below U.S. |
| Putney and Wright are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $666±$334 53% below U.S. |
$953±$79Highest 33% below U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$774±$150 45% below U.S. |
| Wright and Portville 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. |
$5,279 69% above U.S. |
$5,313Highest 70% above U.S. |
$2,928Lowest 6% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±25.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.6%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±22.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Olean and Putney 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% |
16% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.8%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.9%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.6%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #115 of 484 in NY |
| School district | — | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | PORTVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | PORTVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.